


Divine Punishment

by GhostlyGoddess2010



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Eventual Smut, Football | Soccer, M/M, More plot than porn, Porn With Plot, Rivalry, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-08 08:20:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10382463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostlyGoddess2010/pseuds/GhostlyGoddess2010
Summary: Sasuke and Naruto find themselves in trouble at school.  The superintendent has the perfect punishment in mind for them.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing that is Naruto related belongs to me in any way, shape, or form. Naruto is owned by Kishimoto Masashi.

“Naruto!”  The woman with knee-length red hair called to her son.  “I’m going over to the Uchiha’s to visit Mikoto, would you like to come?”

“No thanks mom,” the blond pre-teen called back down to her.

Uzumaki Kushina sighed.  Her husband, Namikaze Minato, was the mayor of Konoha and would be working late tonight.  This left her only child, Uzumaki Naruto, alone.

“Are you sure?  When’s the last time you and Sasuke spent any time together?”

 _Sasuke?_  Naruto didn’t care about Sasuke.  Why was his mom asking about _him_?

Naruto jogged down the stairs from his room to question his mother face-to-face.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, son, the two of you used to be such great friends.  I’m sure Itachi misses you as well.”

“Friends?  Mom, we know each other.  We’re _acquaintances_ , not friends.  You and Mrs. Uchiha are friends; not us.  And I can guarantee that Itachi doesn’t care either.”

“Whatever you say dear,” she smiled warmly, kissing her son on the forehead.  “Your father will be home late tonight, so try not to burn the house down, okay?”

Naruto chuckled as he scratched the back of his head, blue eyes shimmering in the light.  “It’d be difficult to burn the house down making ramen, Ma.”

“I’m sure you could find a way dear,” she chuckled before heading out the door.

After his mother had left, Naruto stood in the entryway for a few more moments.  _Sasuke?  Why would she ask about Sasuke?_

Naruto (and Sasuke) started middle school tomorrow and Naruto wanted to make sure that he was fully prepared.  For whatever reason, no one had told him what to expect.  All he knew is that it would be _different_.  Well, that’s one way to begin a new chapter of your life.

 

*****

 

“Mikoto,” Kushina called as she walked through the door of what was practically her second home 

“Mrs. Uzumaki,” Itachi greeted from the living room, his long, black hair pulled back in a loose ponytail.  “How are you today?”

“Oh, Itachi,” the redhead blushed, “call me Kushina.  Where’s your mother at?”

“Upstairs,” he answered simply.  “I’m not sure where exactly though.  Perhaps in the study?”

“Thanks Itachi!”  Kushina navigated the house with the kind of precision that only someone who had been there a thousand times could manage.  When she arrived at her destination, she was greeted with another head of black hair, but this one didn’t belong to her best friend either.  

“Hello Sasuke,” she greeted calmly.

“Mrs. Uzumaki,” he responded in a manner that was similar to his brother’s.  Sasuke’s hair was styled in a fashion that her son lovingly referred to as “duck-butt”.  Not that Naruto could talk; his hair was just a mess of blond spikes.

“How many times do I have to tell you kids to call me Kushina,” she laughed lightly.

“Hn,” Sasuke responded.

“Are you excited to start middle school tomorrow?”

Sasuke shrugged.  “It doesn’t really affect me.  School is school; we go there to learn, that’s it.”

“I think Naruto’s a little nervous,” she admitted to the youngest Uchiha.  “I asked him if he wanted to come over, but he refused.  You two used to be so close,” she sighed.

He raised an eyebrow at Kushina’s bold statement.  “We did?”

“Oh please, Sasuke,” Mikoto chastised from the doorway.  Unlike Itachi, she wore her long, black hair loose and it framed her shoulders.  “The two of you grew up together, you can stop the act.”

“Mother,” Sasuke narrowed his eyes, “may I have some privacy?  I’m trying to study here.”

“Of course, your highness,” his mother joked.  “Come on Kushina, I’ll make us some tea.”

Mikoto closed the door behind them as they headed downstairs toward the kitchen.

“School hasn’t even started yet,” Kushina pointed out.  “What is Sasuke studying?”

“Not sure,” Mikoto admitted.  “He’s always studying something though.  The boy loves to learn.”

“To think, our boys start middle school tomorrow.  Do you think they’re ready?”

“Probably not.  I’m sure they’ll be fine though.”

“Do you think they’ve figured it out yet?”  Kushina gave her friend a pointed look.

Mikoto smiled in return.  “After that?  Not a chance.”

 

*****

 

“Welcome to Konoha Middle School,” the principal-Iruka-began.  “Here at Konoha Middle, we have a unique educational system in place.  You have successfully made it through elementary school in which you learned the basic skills needed to get you to this point.  Now that you’re here, you will find that things are a little _different_.  You will not be in classes with 20 or 30 other students.  You will not be attending several classes everyday.  You will not be attending every class everyday.”

The room was silent, filled with young students awaiting an explanation.  Each was intently focused on the principal, curious as to what he was implying.

“The Kage Independent School District has established an unique educational system for its students once they reach middle school.  This system is known as ISL or Independent Squad Learning.  Starting today, you will placed on a 3-person learning squad and your squad will be assigned to one of our fully-capable and experienced instructors.  Your instructor will then work with you on your academic advancement throughout your time here at Konoha Middle.  Your squads will remain the same unless one of its members changes schools.  Once you reach high school, the squads will be reconsidered; some will change, some will remain the same; this is all based on academic achievement.  That being said, we will begin to assign you to your squads in alphabetically order.  When your name is called, come take a number.”

Naruto glanced at his neighbor.  They were all already sitting alphabetically, as was instructed by the school’s officials.  If the squads were assigned alphabetically, didn’t that mean they’d be on the same squad?

“Moron,” Sasuke admonished.  “They inform us of our assignment _alphabetically_ , but the actually process of _assignment_ has a completely different system.”

Uchiha Mikoto was an admin at Konoha High, which explained why Sasuke understood so much about the systems in place.  The bastard had probably already known this was coming.

“Do you already know what squad you’re on?” Naruto asked his old acquaintance.

“Of course not, Idiot.  You think my mother would really tell me about all of this-” he held out a hand to motion to the room, “-beforehand?  Honestly.  Where do you think Itachi gets his sadistic streak from anyway?”

“Haruno Sakura,” Iruka called out.

“I figured he got it from you, bastard!”

“Please.  How would he get it from me?  I was born _after_ him.”

“Reverse osmosis or something, how should I know asshole?”

“Inuzuka Kiba.”

“Reverse osmosis?  Do you even know what that is?”

“Nara Shikamaru.”

“Look here asshole, I’m not the idiot you think I am!”

“Uchiha Sasuke.”

“You’re dumb enough to use words that you don’t understand!”  Sasuke stood to receive his team assignment.

“Where do you think you’re going, bastard?”

“Pay attention, idiot, they just called my name.  That means you’re next, in case you forgot your alphabet.”  Sasuke retrieved his team assignment- a piece of paper with his information on it and his squad number: 7.  He glanced over it quickly to read the names of his squad members.  “Fuck.”

“What?  Who did you get?”

“Uzumaki Naruto.”

Naruto quickly stood to retrieve his own form with his squad assignment.  Sasuke watched as he he read over the information and his face paled considerably.  He knew what it said, of course, because his had the same information on it.  

Squad Number:  7

 

Instructor:  Hatake Kakashi

 

Students:  Haruno Sakura

                Uchiha Sasuke

                   Uzumaki Naruto

 

*****

 

Konoha Middle School was a fairly large school that was comprised of many small rooms.  Each room was equipped like a homeroom-type class.  Each room had its own restroom, a computer for each squad member and instructor, and was furnished almost like a living room.  The idea was to put the students in an in environment that would make them comfortable so they wouldn’t be distracted.  This particular structure had also been known to bring squad members closer, almost like being a part of a family.  The idea of creating a home outside of students homes had proven beneficial to their educational development, which was precisely the reason why KISD was the top school district in the country.

In room 7, however, the only family that was being created was a dysfunctional one.

“Bastard!”

“Idiot.”

“Asshole!”

“Moron.”

“Prick!”

“Dumbass.”

Hatake Kakashi, squad 7’s instructor, sighed and shook his head.  He glanced over at Sakura, a girl with long, pink hair, and any remaining hope he had, vanished.

“Sasuke…” the girl sighed dreamily.

“Kakashi,” Yuhi Kurenai tapped on the door before entering.  “Can you ask your students to keep it down, mine can hardly focus.”

Kakashi sighed again.  “Guys?”  He interrupted Sasuke and Naruto’s spat to motion at the other instructor.  “You’re being disruptive.”

“Hmph,” Naruto pouted, crossing his arms.  Sasuke rolled his eyes, but remained silent.

“Thank you,” Kurenai said, leaving the room.

“Do you mind if we begin our introductions, boys?”  Kakashi raised his eyebrows at the mischief-makers in front of him.

“Do what you want,” Sasuke shrugged.

Naruto growled at the raven, but nodded in agreement anyway.

 

*****

 

_Naruto and Sasuke had know each other practically their entire lives.  Uchiha Fugaku was the Police chief and with Uzumaki Kushina as the director of homicide, they had a working relationship.  Uchiha Mikoto was Kushina’s best friend and an administrator for Konoha High School.  The Mayor, Namikaze Minato, was Kushina’s husband and Naruto’s father, and more or less the boss of all of them._

_The boys had always played together when they were young, often times with Itachi’s supervision.  Naruto was loud and obnoxious compared to Sasuke’s quiet demeanor, but Naruto always brought something out in him that even Sasuke couldn’t quite explain._

_Sasuke was never really a bully in any way; in fact, he minded his own business most of the time.  Whenever Naruto built his castle of building blocks, however, Sasuke had the insatiable urge to knock it over.  So he did.  Every.  Single.  Time.  When questioned about his behavior though, Sasuke never had an answer._

_By the time they were 8, the boys were starting to learn things about themselves that they couldn’t quite understand.  Sasuke found that Naruto was a moron, yet somehow everything he did was...adorable.  Naruto began to realize that even though Sasuke was a boy, he was actually very pretty._

_It was around this time that 12-year old Itachi had started babysitting them and noticing things like this within them as well.  One day he took his younger brother aside and tried to pull the truth out of him._

_“How’s school going, Sasuke?”_

_Sasuke shrugged.  “It’s pretty boring, honestly.”_

_Itachi laughed.  “That’s because you’re an Uchiha.  What about Naruto?”_

_Sasuke looked over at his best friend/rival.  The idiot was busy building that same castle again that he knew Sasuke would knock over._ What a moron _.  The thought still brought a smile to his face, though._

_“Sasuke?”_

_The blonde looked up and met Sasuke’s obsidian eyes.  The boys quickly_ _scowled at each other before returning to their previous activities._

 _“What_ about _Naruto?” The younger Uchiha asked._

_“How are things going for him?”_

_The younger scoffed.  “Why should I care?”  Naruto was struggling, honestly.  Sasuke was well aware of that.  Sometimes he tried to find ways to help the idiot indirectly, like coercing an explanation out of the teacher without actually asking a question.  He probably seemed like a show-off to the blond, but he was just trying to help._

_“Sasuke, I know you care,” Itachi accused._

_“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sasuke countered as he abruptly stood to go knock over Naruto’s castle._

_Sasuke had an idea of what was going on between the two of them, but he refused to acknowledge it.  He always pushed the thought to the back of his mind, where he could convince himself that it didn’t exist at all.  Every so often though, he would catch his eyes floating back toward the blond dobe and wonder how someone so stupid could be so...precious.  What he was unaware of, was the fact that sometimes those sapphire eyes would wander to him and question how such a teme could be so...beautiful._

 

*****

 

“The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell,” Naruto repeated.  “What does that even mean?”

“Use your head, moron.  Kakashi, can you explain to the idiot that the mitochondria supplies the energy for each individual cell to complete its function?”

“Isn’t that what you just did, Sasuke?”

Sasuke grit his teeth.  His old technique of prying information out of teachers for Naruto didn’t work on Kakashi; the white-haired man saw through everything.

“Oh Sasuke, you’re so smart,” Sakura complimented the raven.  Sakura’s crush on Sasuke was so obvious that even Naruto had picked up on it.  She couldn’t help it though; Sasuke was the cutest guy she’d ever seen.  Coupled with the fact that he was smart and virtually unobtainable, the pink-haired girl was desperate to make him hers.

“Yeah, he’s smart alright,” Naruto grumbled.  “A smart _ass_.”  Naruto had developed a crush on the pretty girl who was obsessed with their other teammate.  Her crush on Sasuke made him unbelievably jealous.  Having labeled both of his teammates as pretty had begun to confuse the poor blond, adding to his irritation toward the raven.  Irritation and admiration did not mix well.

“At least my ass is smarter than yours, dobe,” Sasuke retorted.  Sakura’s crush was irritating to the raven because he didn’t like the constant attention.  It didn’t help that he wasn’t interested in her in the least, but she couldn’t catch the hint.  He remained perpetually irritated with Naruto, but was also still very intrigued by the boy he’d known his entire life.  He did his best not to let that little detail slip through.

“Alright guys, settle down,” Kakashi instructed.  He had caught on early as to what was going on between his students and it had made his life a living hell.  He groaned internally.  After cell structure they would discuss sexual reproduction before moving on to cellular division.  He was _not_ looking forward to discussing sex with his three sexually frustrated students who were all obsessed with each other.  

“If our cell discussion is becoming too much for you, Naruto, we can return to discussing _To Kill A Mockingbird_.”

Naruto groaned and Sasuke smirked.

“That’s what I thought.  Now, let’s talk about the nucleus.”

 

*****

 

Despite Konoha Middle’s family-style design for its classrooms, the school still had lockers to hold each student’s stuff.  Some had the misfortune of sharing a locker.  Naruto and Sasuke were just unfortunate enough to be subject to such a situation.

Naruto was rummaging through their locker for his things as Sasuke waited patiently next to him so that he could grab his own supplies.  

“Tch, moron.  Try to keep the locker more organized.  I hate how messy it is.”

“Fuck off asshole, it’s half my locker and you’re not my mom.”

“Do you really think your mom would approve of this locker?  I know mine wouldn’t.”

“Big deal, neither of our moms are here, so get over it.”

Naruto turned to look Sasuke dead in the eye as he slammed the locker closed, knowing that the other would have to go through the trouble of reopening it.

“Really?”

“That’s right, bastard.  Have fun!”  Naruto was about to walk off until someone fell into him, pushing him into Sasuke.  He fell forward with his lips landing directly on Sasuke’s in a kiss.  Their eyes went wide as they shot apart and turned away from each other, blushing.

“Asshole.”

“Dumbass.”

As Naruto left the raven behind, he couldn’t help but think about how soft the other’s lips had been against his own.  So Sasuke was more than just a pretty face to him, but what did that mean?

Sasuke stared blankly into the locker without even attempting to gather his things.  No matter how hard he tried, he could never stop thinking about a particular idiot.   _Naruto…_

 

*****

 

“Are you guys ready for high school?” Kakashi asked toward the end of their 8th grade year.

“Yeah!” Naruto exclaimed.

“I don’t know,” Sakura admitted.  “Do you think they’ll change our teams?”

“You three have made substantial academic progress together.  I seriously doubt that they’ll split you up.”

“We won’t be on the same team,” Sasuke stated.

“Leave it to the Uchiha bastard whose mommy tells him everything,” Naruto chided.  “And why not?”

“I’m moving.”

The room grew silent.  Kakashi was unaffected, he knew that he would be saying goodbye to the students after the end of the year anyway.  He had recently applied for a promotion, so hopefully he would never have to go through anything like this ever again.  Sakura was completely taken aback.  She’d accepted the fact that Sasuke had no interest in her and had stopped pursuing him, but damn was he nice to look at.  

Naruto was probably the most affected by the three of them.  Sakura, who had started to understand the boys’ relationship, looked for an excuse to leave.

“Kakashi-sensei, may I go to the library?  I have a book I need to return.”

Kakashi looked at the two boys sitting on the couch in front of him.  The look of confusion on Naruto’s face said it all.  “Yeah,” he agreed, “let me come with you.  I have some overdue books myself.”

Naruto remained silent after the others had left the room.

“Dobe,” Sasuke shook his head.

“You’re moving?”  For some reason, Naruto suddenly felt...broken.

“Yeah,” Sasuke confirmed.  “To Oto.  Mom got promoted to superintendent.  Her office is in Oto, so we’re moving.”  He shrugged, but he fully understood how Naruto felt.

Naruto and Sasuke had grown up together.  They’d always lived within walking distance of each other and hadn’t gone longer than a month without seeing each other.  They’d become so accustomed to being around each other, especially after going through middle school together.  Being torn apart like this was like losing a part of themselves and neither one of them knew how to cope.

“I’m sure our mom’s will keep in touch, dobe, so don’t worry about them.”

“Yeah,” Naruto laughed weakly as he scratched the back of his head.  “You don’t have to worry about me, bastard.”

Sakura and Kakashi quietly sat in the hall, waiting for the boys’ conversation to end.

“Poor Naruto,” Sakura said softly.

“Yeah,” Kakashi agreed, “and poor Sasuke.”

 

*****

 

It was the first soccer practice match of the year for the Konoha High boys’ soccer team and Naruto was pumped to be their star forward player.  Naruto was a month deep in his sophomore year and couldn’t wait to work out some pent-up energy.  The green and white uniforms actually worked well with his natural coloring and he couldn’t have been happier as he took his place on the field.

They were playing Oto High, the team that always brought a pang to Naruto’s heart, but he quickly thought of something else to distract himself.  Sasuke had been gone for a year and a half and he’d made it this far, he could only keep moving forward.

Naruto began to absently stretch as he saw the familiar purple and blue uniforms in his peripheral.  They were going to crush Oto, just like they did last year.  At least it made him feel a little better in the end.

It wasn’t much longer before the match had begun and Naruto was giving it his all.  He was in the zone, dribbling the ball between members of Oto’s star offensive players and making his way to their goalie.  He looked up, preparing to take the shot, but what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Sasuke,” he whispered as he stopped so abruptly that he tripped over himself.

“Moron,” the other smirked at him.

Naruto snapped.  Sasuke could _not_ just show up in _his_ game after almost _two whole years_ and call him a moron.

“Listen here, bastard!”  He was up in the Uchiha’s face before he could even think about it.

“What are you gonna do, idiot?  Kiss me again?” the other taunted.

Whistles were blowing as Naruto grabbed Sasuke’s shirt, but both were so lost in their own world that they didn’t even notice.

“Fuck off asshole!  You think you can just show up after two years?”

“Did you forget to count while I was away, dumbass?”

Sasuke shoved the blond off of him and Naruto clenched his fist, ready to throw a punch.

“Why do you always have to be such a prick?” Naruto yelled as he approached the Uchiha once again.  “Sometimes I just want to punch you in your pretty little bastard face!”

“Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto.”  The referee called out, finally grabbing the attention of the two teens.  When the boys turned to look at the ref, he was holding up 2 red cards.

“What?!” the boys exclaimed simultaneously.

“You’re both disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct.  Now get off my field.”

They did as they were told, but their argument persisted.

“This is all your fault, asshole!”

“My fault?  You’re the one that overreacted!”

“Yeah, but you’re the one that had to be a prick.”

The boys’ coaches were on their asses immediately.

“Naruto, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Coach Jiraiya asked incredulously.

“I was wondering the same thing, Sasuke,” Coach Orochimaru accused.

The boys shot each other one final glare before turning away from each other completely.

“Naruto, apologize,” Jiraiya instructed.

“Can’t,” Naruto argued.

“Sasuke,” Orochimaru urged.

“Nope.”

The coaches sighed and looked at each other.

“Talk to me?” Orochimaru asked the other.

“Of course,” Jiraiya agreed.

Once they were alone, Orochimaru turned toward Jiraiya while keeping an eye on the two teens.  “Listen Jiraiya, Sasuke’s mom is the superintendent.  I say, we send them to her.”

“Deal, as long as we give them one more chance to apologize.”

“Alright, let’s give it a try.”

“Naruto,” Jiraiya began as they approached the boys again.  “I strongly urge you to apologize to Sasuke.  The alternative punishment is far worse.”

“Listen pervy-coach, I don’t care what you do, I can’t apologize to that bastard.  This is all his fault anyway.”  Jiraiya sighed and looked at Orochimaru.

“Sasuke?  The same goes for you.”

“The answer is still no,” he answered firmly.  Orochimaru rolled his eyes.  “Very well then.  Both of you go get changed.  We’ll be discussing this after the game.”

 

*****

 

Kage Independent School District was fairly progressive regarding every aspect of its policies.  The district had even gone as far as building locker rooms specifically for the use of the “away” teams.  At Konoha High, the entrances for these locker rooms were on opposite sides of each other.

Naruto knew exactly what he was doing as he followed Sasuke to the locker room that was designated for the “away team”.  Sasuke, however, was not amused.

“The fuck do you think you’re doing moron, these are the away lockers.”

“It’s my home, I can do whatever I want!”

“Is that what you think?  Why are you following me anyway?  Don’t you think it’s kind of creepy?”

“No, I don’t.  I’m not done with you bastard!”

Sasuke sighed and faced his rival.  “What?”

“I said I’m done with you!”

“I know what you said, idiot; I’m asking what you meant by that.”

“Sasuke, it’s been two years.”

“Naruto, it hasn’t been two years.”

“Fine, asshole, it’s been _almost_ two years.”

“And?”

Naruto groaned and pulled on his hair.  “Why do you always have to do that?!”

“Do what?!”

“Be an asshole!” Naruto shouted as he lunged, grabbing Sasuke by his jersey once more.

Sasuke, thinking quickly, ducked out of his jersey as Naruto grabbed it.  Naruto was left standing with just the blue jersey in his hands and it left him confused for just a moment.  When he realized what had happened, he looked back up at Sasuke to level him with a glare, but stopped short when his breath caught.

Naruto had come to terms with his bisexuality the former year.  When he came out to his parents, they were very supportive; Kushina even seemed..giddy.  Witnessing a shirtless Sasuke though, was making him feel things he hadn’t felt in quite some time- things that he hadn’t even realized he was capable of feeling until now.

Sasuke was _fine_ , but Naruto needed to get a hold of himself.  He quickly threw the garment over his shoulder and lunged at the raven once again, this time grabbing him by the shoulders and slamming him into the lockers behind him.

“Oh, so you are going to kiss me,” Sasuke hissed at him.  Naruto lost control of all brain function as he fisted Sasuke’s hair and bashed his head into the locker _hard_.

“Listen here asshole!” he screamed at the slightly taller boy who was now grimacing.  He completely ignored the little messages that were being sent to his brain about how soft Sasuke’s hair was.  He’d even kept the duck-butt style and it looked as gorgeous on him as ever.  “You do _not_ get to just show up here after two fucking years like you never fucking left!  You do _not_ just get to come back into my life after _leaving_ and act like such a dick!”

Sasuke had recovered from Naruto’s attack, but his breathing was picking up.  Looking down at the shorter boy, he realized how close they really were.  He noticed the sweat glistening against Naruto’s tan skin and his blue eyes shone brightly, full of emotion.  Whether the increase in his heart rate was from adrenaline or arousal, even he was unsure.

“Get off me, idiot,” he said calmly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.  He grabbed onto Naruto’s arms tightly as he hoisted his legs up to kick the dobe off of him.  Naruto fell back onto the concrete floor and Sasuke got on top of him, pinning his arms to his side and prepared himself to deliver the next blow.

With his arm already pulled back and fist clenched, ready to attack, he looked down into Naruto’s deep blue eyes and froze.  He couldn’t do this.  He might be an idiot, and a moron, beyond annoying, and _way_ out of line, but he was still Naruto.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, bastard!” Naruto goaded him.  “Wouldn’t wanna get in trouble with your _mommy_.”

That did it.  Without anymore hesitation, Sasuke hit Naruto square in the jaw, watching as he coughed up blood.  When their eyes met once again, Sasuke didn’t hold back.  He attacked Naruto with a force that even he didn’t know he possessed.  Naruto didn’t get the upper hand until he headbutted Sasuke and pushed him off of him.  Then he launched his own series of attacks.

It continued like this, the advantage switching between parties from time to time, until someone had heard the commotion.  Within minutes both coaches were in the locker room, pulling the boys off of each other.

“Naruto!” Jiraiya bellowed.  “Showers!  Now!”

The boys had no idea what kind of punishment they were in for.

 

*****

 

The next morning, Naruto, Sasuke, Kushina, and Mikoto were all sitting in Mikoto’s office to discuss their punishment.  The guys were more than a little roughed up and their mothers both wore fairly amused expressions on their faces.

“Boys,” Mikoto began, looking at the students who refused to look at each other.  “What is this all about?”

The room remained silent.  In all honesty, neither Naruto or Sasuke would have been able to explain what happened; they weren’t even sure themselves.

After a few moments, Mikoto sighed.  “Very well, then.  I thought I’d give you a chance to explain yourselves, but I’ve already decided your punishment, so let’s get on with it.”  She picked up her phone to dial her receptionist.  “You can send him in now.”

As the door opened, both boys turned to look at none other than their middle school squad 7 instructor, Kakashi.  He leaned against the door silently, allowing Mikoto to explain.

“I believe you both know Kakashi,” she giggled, amused.  “Neither one of you will be permitted to return to your high school.  You will, however, still be required to play on your school’s soccer team.”

“Required?”  Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his mother.  “Why are we _required_ to play?”

“Physical exercise is good for you, Sasuke.  Besides, how can I expect you to learn sportsmanship if I remove you from the team?”

“That explains why we are _permitted_ ,” he argued, “but why are we _required_.”

“You are _required_ , Sasuke, because I am assigning it to you.  Consider learning how to be sportsmanlike a graduation requirement.”

“And if I don’t?  Would you really refuse graduation to your own son?”

“Yes,” she said firmly.

Naruto laughed, unable to control himself.  “Serves you right, bastard!”

“That goes for you too, Naruto,” Mikoto added.

“Hn,” Sasuke smirked.

“As for your studies,” she continued, “you will be studying at home with Kakashi.   _Together_.”

“What?!” Naruto jumped up suddenly.  “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you both will be studying in our home study with Kakashi.  Together, at the same time.  Kakashi will determine your performance and you will still be required to learn the same material.”

“For how long,” Sasuke asked, his voice deep.

“Until you both graduate,” Mikoto answered immediately.

“In other words,” Kushina explained, “your punishment is that you will spend the rest of your high school days with only each other and Kakashi.  The only time you will be separated is for soccer or after your classes, if you will.  Mikoto and I have yet to decide on whether or not you will be spending time together outside your studies.  Consider yourselves warned.”

The room went completely silent for a few minutes as the information washed over the two students.  The silence was finally broken when Mikoto decided to speak up.

“Oh and boys?  If anything like this happens again, you will be expelled.”

With that, the boys were dismissed.  As soon as the room was empty, Kushina looked over at her best friend and smiled.  “Do you think they’ve realized it yet?

Mikoto smiled back, falling into the familiar territory of their favorite game.  “Not a chance.”


	2. Sophomore Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys continue their Sophomore year, but now they're stuck together.

“Long time no see,” Kakashi commented as the boys took their seats for their first day of punishment.

Sasuke looked up at his former/current instructor.  He was _not_ a morning person and refused to speak any more than necessary.  In this instance, he chose to stare at the man without uttering a response.

Naruto was _exhausted_.  Physically, Sasuke had beat the shit out of him and he was feeling it.  Mentally, he was still trying to wrap his head around the idea of spending the his next years alone with Sasuke.  Emotionally, he had been beyond repair since he first recognized Sasuke on the field that day and he wasn’t sure how he felt anymore. He also chose to remain silent as he stared at the familiar man in front of him.

“I understand,” Kakashi explained.  “A lot has happened in such a short period of time.  Let me just begin with explaining my lesson plan.”

“Each year you are required to take Literacy, Writing and Grammar, a math course, a science course, a history course, and a language course.  You will be allowed one free study course per year, which we will discuss later.”

The boys remained silent and Kakashi took this as his incentive to continue.  “For Sophomore year…” he began, looking down at his notes, “Sasuke, you were in Pre-Calculus. Therefore, our math class for the remainder of the year will be Pre-Calc.”

“What, that’s not fair!” Naruto argued.  “I can’t do Pre-Calc!”

“Consider it part of your punishment, Naruto; you should have been expelled.  Besides, there’s nothing to worry about; I will work with you every step of the way.”

Naruto slumped back into his chair, but made no move to counter him, so he continued.  “For science we will stick with the sophomore science course: Biology.  The same goes for our history course: Geography.  As for our language course, Sasuke was taking Spanish and Naruto was taking French, so we’ll compromise with Latin.”

Kakashi paused, looking at the boys for a retort, but neither of them said anything.  They were really low-spirited today.  He hoped that they would be back to normal soon.

“Now we will discuss our free study course.  For Sophomore year, Naruto, since you attacked Sasuke first, _he_ will choose our free study topic.  That being said, Sasuke, is there anything that would like to study.”

In response, Sasuke smirked at his teacher.  “Mythology.”

Naruto groaned next to him and Sasuke was suddenly filled with an overwhelming sense of victory.  He knew the dobe would find Mythology boring, but he also found it very interesting.  It was a win-win for Sasuke.

“Alright,” Kakashi continued, “then those courses will be what we focus on for the remainder of the year.

 

*****

 

“Okay,” Kakashi began as he entered the study 20 minutes late as usual.  “I have put together a plan for our Mythology study.”

“Please be nothing, please be nothing, please be nothing,” Naruto whispered to himself.  He was only interrupted by an eraser that hit him the head.

“Hey!”

“You’re not quiet,” Sasuke countered immediately.  

“So what?  Maybe I don’t wanna learn about mythology.”

“Maybe I don’t care,” Sasuke hissed.  “This is _your_ fault, now deal with it.”

“Actually,” Kakashi interrupted their spat, “you’re both equally as guilty.  May we begin now?”

Naruto grumbled his objections, but turned his attention to the older man in the room anyway.

“We will be covering 5 different types of mythology: Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and American Indian.  We will start with Greek and go from there.  Now Naruto,” Kakashi began with an evil smile as he held up 2 textbooks.  “It’s time for you to get in your required reading.”

 

*****

Everyday, Kakashi would leave the boys alone for an hour to complete the reading that he’d assigned them in their textbooks.  Neither knew where he went or what he did for that hour, but each was well-behaved enough to do as they were told anyway.

Sasuke was reading from their Mythology textbook when he heard light snoring next to him.  He allowed a small smile to grace his features at the precious display in front of him before waking the moron up.

“Dobe,” he nudged the blond with his elbow, “wake up.”

Naruto jolted awake with highlighter on his face.  Sasuke snickered at the sight.

“What are you laughing at bastard,” he groaned as he rubbed at his eyes.

“Your face,” he retorted, sounding sarcastic.  “Try not to fall asleep while reading, moron.”

“I can’t help it,” he whined.  “Reading puts me to sleep.  Besides, I was up all night last night trying to figure out this Pre-Calc bullshit.”

“Didn’t Kakashi tell you he would help you?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want his help.”

“Tch, moron.  Let me see.”

Naruto pulled out his work from the night before as Sasuke went over it and helped explain some of the more complex concepts to him.

On the other side of the door, Kakashi was doing his own required reading, but hadn’t failed to hear their exchange.  He smiled fondly as he turned the page in his favorite book.  _It’s working_.

 

*****

 

“Today we’re going to be doing something different,” Kakashi announced as he walked into the study.

This got the guys’ attention.  They were both looking at him, eagerly awaiting an explanation.

“This will be an independent study of sorts,” he explained.  “I want you both to go shopping and try to bring me back something from every continent, excluding Antarctica of course.”

“Huh?” Naruto asked.

“This is an independent study assignment for Geography.  You will be expected to complete this _together_ , so don’t get any ideas.  Think of it at a field trip.  Also, I will not be joining you.”

“If you aren’t going, how will you know we were together?” Sasuke asked.

“Hmm,” Kakashi tapped his chin thoughtfully.  “There’s no guarantee that I would.  It _is_ part of your assignment though, so I would recommend not cheating the rules.”

“Psh,” Naruto huffed, “you’re just trying to give yourself a free day off.”

“Perhaps.  Or perhaps I’m trusting the two of you to spend time out in public together like civilized beings.”

The boys looked at each other.  There would be no cheating on this assignment.  They could give it a try, right?

 

*****

 

“How’s the punishment going?” Hōzuki Suigetsu asked Sasuke at soccer practice.

Sasuke groaned.  Spending all this time with Naruto was bringing back memories that he’d rather forget.  Like the kiss.  Or their goodbye.  

They were making new memories though, and Sasuke couldn’t exactly hate that.  Whether they wanted to admit it or not, Naruto and Sasuke had been friends as long as they could remember.  Sometimes they’d even felt like something more.

He thought about their Geography shopping trip and Naruto’s outrageous outburst that everything was made in China.

“ _China, China, China!”  The blond yelled angrily.  “Why is everything here Chinese?  Am I Chinese too?  Was_ I _made in China?”_

_Sasuke had simply stood next to him throughout his outburst, smirking.  “Idiot.”_

The new memory brought a smile to his face.  Maybe there was hope for them after all.

“Sasuke?”  Suigetsu questioned.

“It’s...a punishment,” he said finally.  Or maybe not.

 

*****

 

“Naruto, your grades have improved dramatically since this punishment system began,” Kakashi noted as he sifted through some reports.  “This punishment might even turn out to be a blessing in disguise.”

“Huh?  What do you mean?”  The blond teen asked.

“Look for yourself,” Kakashi responded, handing Naruto his grades from the past year and comparing them to his current grades.

Sasuke smirked, somewhat proud of the moron with whose presence he’d been graced his entire life.

“Wow, how did this happen?”

“My money’s on Sasuke,” Kakashi answered.

“Sasuke?”

“At Konoha Middle, your grades were always fairly good.  It would seem as though Sasuke has a positive influence on you.”

The blond looked over at Sasuke and the raven noticed a slight blush on his tan cheeks.  Sasuke quickly looked away, not wanting to sport his own blush for the moron to see.

“Yeah right, I bet you’re just an easy grader,” Naruto joked.

 _Probably_ , Sasuke thought before turning his attention back to his Mythology work.


	3. Junior Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After fully adjusting to their new learning system, the guys begin their Junior year together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wanted to update this daily, but I was waiting on my beta reader, so I apologize. Luckily, they finished it all, so one final proofread and I'll post the chapters. I'll try to have the next one up within a few hours.

“Alright guys, it’s the start of a new year, let’s get to planning,” Kakashi announced as he walked in.  It was the first day and he was _still_ late.

“We will, of course, continue to study Literacy and Writing and Grammar.  Our math course this year will be Calculus AB, our science course will be the Junior’s science course of Chemistry, and-once again-as Juniors, your history course will be Ancient-Medieval World History.  Any questions?”  The boys shook their heads.  “Alright, free study choice is Naruto’s this year.  Naruto, what will it be?”

“Environmental Science?” The blond asked, hopefully.

“Environmental Science it is!  Let’s get started.”

  


*****

 

Naruto hated to admit it, but this whole punishment system that he and Sasuke were going through was actually kind of...fun.

From the beginning he hated the idea.  He didn’t want to have to be trapped with Sasuke-and _only_ Sasuke- for the remainder of High School, but here he was.  Then he found out that he would have to measure up to Sasuke’s standards and take Pre-Calc.  That was a forced promotion for him; one that he didn’t want!  Then he was stripped of his language- French- to compromise and learn Latin with Sasuke, who was originally learning Spanish.  If all that wasn’t enough, Kakashi had to go and top it off with letting Sasuke choose their free study topic!  Then, Sasuke- the bastard that he is- chose Mythology!  Naruto _knew_ he’d be bored out of his mind for the rest of the year.

Unexpectedly though, he wasn't.  Sasuke had actually helped him in Pre-Calc, bringing Naruto to the same level- mathematically- that Sasuke was at.  He found Latin intriguing, if only because he recognized some words here and there.  It turned out both Spanish and French were Latin-based, which is why Kakashi was having them study Latin.  Even Mythology had turned out to be fairly interesting- at least way more than he thought it would be.

The best part about it all though, was that he got to look at Sasuke _all day long_.  He and Sasuke were even getting along- just as well as they had before the move, if not better.  It was like Naruto had been missing a piece of himself and it had finally returned, leaving him feeling complete.

His grades were improving, his skills were improving, his relationship with Sasuke was improving, and he was actually enjoying Kakashi’s teaching methods.  Perhaps this punishment had been the best thing to happen to him yet.

  


*****

 

“Sasuke,” Naruto began one day during their reading hour in which the boys were still unaware of Kakashi’s presence on the other side of the door.

“Hm?”

“Have you...have you had sex yet?”

Sasuke dropped the pen he was holding on the ground.  “Wh-what?”

“I mean, like...are you still a virgin?”

“I know what you mean, moron...” he blushed furiously, but couldn’t do anything to hide it.  “...but it’s none of your business.”

“I know, I’m sorry.  I just thought...I just thought I’d ask.  I mean, you’re pretty much the only person I ever see.”

Sasuke calmed down a little bit.  He wasn’t upset with Naruto, but he was still struggling with his sexuality.  Two years ago he would have labeled himself as asexual, but since Naruto had come back into his life, he was beginning to question even that.

“Have you?” he asked finally.

“Huh?”

“Have you had sex yet?”

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously and laughed.  “No, I haven’t.  You’d think being bisexual would open you up to more options, but…”

“You’re bisexual?”

“Yeah,” Naruto answered defensively. “Why?  Do you have a problem with it?”

“No, I just…” he trailed off.

“Just what?  You’re straight, so you can’t relate?”

“No...it’s just...complicated, okay?”

“Complicated?  There’s nothing complicated about sexuality, Sasuke.  What do you like?”

Sasuke blushed again, but remained silent.

“If you aren’t sure,” Naruto began as though he was trying to comfort Sasuke, “there’s no rush Sasuke.  Figure it out on your own time, okay?  Just...just be honest with yourself.”

“You’re only wrong about one thing, Naruto,” Kakashi began as he entered the room.  Had it really been an hour already?  “Sexuality is very complex.”

  


*****

 

It had been over a year since the incident on the soccer field and Sasuke and Naruto were being allowed on the field together for the first time since the incident.  The coaches were watching the boys like hawks, ready to pull them if any sort of conflict- however minor- arose.

Naruto and Sasuke had maintained eye contact since they’d walked out onto the field and held it even now as the game was about to start.  

It was a completely different feeling, being on the same field since their forced togetherness had begun.  It was almost an out-of-body experience; neither boy really knew how to behave.  They had to keep up appearances, but they were friends- best friends- yet they were on opposing teams.

The second Naruto gained control of the ball, Sasuke knew that he’d be heading straight for him.  He braced himself, hoping that this time an incident wouldn’t arise.

Naruto quickly weaved through Sasuke’s teammates, and made his way to Sasuke in record time.  As he readied himself to take the shot, one of Sasuke’s teammates ran up behind Naruto to steal the ball, but accidentally slammed into him at full force, sending the blond to the ground.

As Naruto stood, Sasuke quickly moved in front of his teammate to try to talk Naruto out of whatever rage might be possessing him.  The coaches, however, saw the 2 boys face each other and deemed it a potential conflict, pulling both from the game.

 

*****

 

Sasuke had just stripped off his jersey when he heard soft footsteps behind him.  He turned around to find himself facing a shirtless Naruto. Damn, he’d never realized that Naruto was so _toned_.  He all but drooled at the sight.

“Naruto?”

“Yeah, sorry.  I was about to to take a shower, but I thought I should come apologize first.”

“Apologize?”

“Yeah, for getting you kicked out of the game.  I mean, if I hadn’t been there…”

“Naruto, nothing was happening.  They just saw us too close and looking at each other- and with our history- made a fair assumption.  I’m not even upset.”

“Really?”

“Naruto, we’re literally _required_ to be here.  At least now I can relax and watch the game, right?”

“Right,” Naruto sighed.  The blond looked up at Sasuke, his blue eyes shimmering as though he was trying to tell him something.  What would Naruto be trying to tell him?

“Naruto?”  The blond’s silence spoke volumes for his internal struggle.

“Yeah?”

“I’m fine.  Now go take your shower, you stink.”

“Heh, you too bastard,” the blond teased giving Sasuke one last look with those eyes- was that pleading he saw in their depths- before walking back toward his own locker room.

With Naruto’s captivating eyes torn away from him, Sasuke couldn’t help but admire the blond from behind as he retreated.  What was happening to him?

  


*****

  


During their reading hour on Monday, Naruto was completely silent- a rarity for the young blond.  In fact, he’d been uncharacteristically quiet all day.  Sasuke knew he was still treading lightly-afraid that he may have upset the raven-but dammit, Sasuke _wasn’t_ upset, which was making him upset.

“Naruto,” he finally broke the silence, needing to have Naruto back to normal.

The blond didn’t say anything, but looked at Sasuke with a confused look.  Sasuke groaned.

“Knock it off already Naruto, I’m not upset!”

“You sound pretty upset to me bastard,” he retorted.

“That’s because you’re driving me crazy!  You’re not acting normal-you’re even being _quiet_ for the first time in your life- all to keep me from getting mad you!  Guess what Naruto?   _That_ is making me mad; it’s fucking pissing me off, now stop acting so strangely.”

Naruto sighed but said nothing as he silently stared at Sasuke.

“Why are you doing this to me?”  Sasuke shook his head, not even entirely aware of what he was asking.   _Am I mad because he’s acting weird, or do I just like the way he acts?  What is he doing to me?_

“Since when do you want me to talk anyway?  Isn’t this what you always wanted?  For me to be quiet?”

Wait, was Naruto _offended_?  What the fuck was going on?

Sasuke remained silent, completely baffled by whatever was going on.

“Yeah that’s what I thought, bastard,” Naruto spat before returning to his studies.

 

*****

 

Sasuke _could not_ figure out what was going on with Naruto.  One day he was asking about Sasuke’s virginity, then he was getting them kicked out of a soccer game and apologizing for it, then he was mad at Sasuke.  Seriously, who was _this_ emotional?

He looked up at Kakashi whose nose was buried in his ever-present book.  He squinted, attempting to read the title.  _Make Out Paradise?_  What the actual fuck was he reading?

Kakashi looked up from his book and met Sasuke’s eyes like he’d known he was being watched.  Sasuke attempted to look away and avoid any awkwardness, but his eyes went straight to Naruto, as if they had a mind of their own.  

He groaned internally at his self-incriminating action before turning back to look at Kakashi.  When he did, he noticed that older man was smirking at him.  Kakashi even chuckled for a moment, stirring Naruto from whatever dimension his mind was in.  A quick glance at the book in front of Naruto determined that it was Latin.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, looking between both Kakashi and Sasuke with a look of bewilderment and irritation.  Sasuke’s eyes went wide for a brief moment.  Was Kakashi trying to _bust_ him?

“Oh, just this book I’m reading,” he said, holding it up.  “It features some pretty amusing _sexual tension_ ,” he emphasized while looking at Sasuke.  Well, that was a fucking yes.  What a dick.

Naruto, however, was as oblivious as he always was and simply shrugged before going back to his Latin world.   _That was close_ , Sasuke thought as he shot Kakashi a glare that could melt steel.  Kakashi had returned to his book though, so he missed it entirely.

He was beginning to think that his instructor had an ulterior motive.

 

*****

 

Naruto wasn’t even sure what he was upset about.  He spent everyday with his childhood best friend, he was learning and his grades were improving, he still got to play soccer, and he didn’t have to deal with the bullshit of school like everyone else did.

He had spent way too much time trying to sort out his feeling for Sasuke, but he wasn’t coming up with an answer.  He knew he was gorgeous, but he always had been.  He knew that he was a dick on the outside, but a total softie on the inside.  He knew he cared for the bastard and that they were best friends.  He knew he wouldn’t trade his time with the asshole for _anything_.

He thought that _maybe_ he had a crush on the Uchiha, but for what?  For being eye candy?  For being his favorite person on the planet?  For being the one thing that had somehow _always_ improved his performance?  What did all that even mean?

When he’d asked Sasuke about his virginity, he didn’t expect the bastard to _actually_ be a virgin.  Someone as hot as Sasuke could have had sex a thousand times over, but he didn’t seem to care that much.  More so, he even implied that he wasn’t sure of his own sexuality, which was even more bizarre to Naruto.  Naruto almost felt...relieved.  

If Sasuke was still unsure of his sexuality, then he probably wasn’t straight, right?  If he wasn’t straight, then Naruto still had a chance.  Naruto _really_ hoped that he had a chance.

Then the soccer game happened.  Seeing Sasuke on that field again like he had a year prior stirred up all kinds of emotions in Naruto.  He remembered the heart wrenching pain he felt upon his discovery of Sasuke’s move.  He remembered the hope that he’d felt the first time he saw him- along with the happiness and the sting from being apart.  He remembered the anger he felt toward the bastard at being taunted rather than greeted as an old friend.  So many emotions stirred within Naruto that he seemed to lose his mind, leading to the fight that he started with Sasuke.

He tried to be better this time, he really did, but when he fell forward because of one of Sasuke’s teammates, he might have gotten carded again.  After all, that asshole ruined the moment that he was having with Sasuke.  He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was definitely a moment.

When he entered the guest locker room, he apologized to Sasuke for getting them disqualified _again_.  Sasuke didn’t even care and that was..relieving.  It was amazing and filled Naruto with a sense of joy that he couldn’t even begin to explain- much less understand where it came from.

Things always happened between Naruto and Sasuke when lockers were involved.  Their accidental kiss happened at their shared locker, then their infamous fight happened in that very locker room.  He remembered the soft feel of Sasuke’s lips against his and wondered for a moment if they had changed.

Sasuke might call Naruto dense, but Naruto was fully aware of his desire to kiss Sasuke.  At least Naruto was aware of his sexuality.  He looked into Sasuke’s eyes, trying to silently convince the Uchiha to make a move, touch him, kiss him.  Sasuke, however, seemed more worried about assuring Naruto that he wasn’t mad.  Naruto left the locker room more than a little disappointed.

Since then, Naruto hadn’t been the same around Sasuke.  It was as if he was holding a grudge against his own will.  He didn’t _want_ to be upset with Sasuke, but he was hurting.  He was so lost in desire and lust that even being around the unobtainable raven put him in a sour mood.  

His lust for the other boy was getting worse, too.  Daily, even.  Naruto would spend all day fantasizing about running his tongue all over the well-developed abs of the paler man.  When he went to sleep at night, he was tortured by wonderful dreams featuring everything the two of them could do alone together- naked and intertwined.  He was waking up every morning as a sticky mess, only to go watch the object of his desires become even more desirable.

When Kakashi had laughed at the sexual tension in his book, Naruto couldn’t believe the irony.  _Story of my life_ , he thought to himself as he went back to fantasizing about Sasuke while he pretended to study Latin.

 

*****

 

Kakashi was grading the boys’ Environmental Science reports on potential ecosystems within the various biomes, when Sasuke noticed him sighing and dropping his pen.  He was fairly confident in his own abilities, so he assumed that the report was Naruto’s.

He looked over at the blond- who was buried in chemical equations-and back at his instructor- who had now given up on grading entirely.  With Kakashi buried in his trashy novel once again, Sasuke decided to take a short break himself.

He couldn’t be certain, but Sasuke had gotten the feeling that the blond’s grades were faltering again.  He couldn’t wrap his head around it.  He was supposed to be a positive influence on Naruto, but perhaps that theory had proven false.

How could Naruto’s grades be falling when all he did was study?  The other boy never even opened his mouth anymore; his grades should have been perfect.  To think that he was struggling on that report of all things baffled the raven.  The moron had chosen Environmental Science himself, he should have been doing great!

When Sasuke looked back at Kakashi, the white-haired man was staring back at him.  Without warning, he stood up and removed the items sitting in front of the boys.

He looked down at the text that Naruto had been staring at all day.  “Chemistry, huh?  I think the two of you have some other chemistry to figure out,” he said cryptically.  

Nothing more was said as he left the room, taking their assignments with him.

 

*****

 

It had been over an hour and Kakashi had yet to return.  The room had been dead silent the entire time and neither boy had anything to work on.  They had spent more than an hour sitting in silence, without anything to keep them busy.  

It was Sasuke who finally snapped.

“How long are you going to act like this, Naruto?”

Naruto raised his eyebrows at the raven, but said nothing.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about!”

Naruto sighed.  “What do you want from me, Uchiha?”

Uchiha?  _Uchiha?!_  Naruto had literally known Sasuke his entire life and had _never_ called him by his last name alone.

Sasuke was fed up.  He was beyond tired of whatever shit Naruto was pulling and just wanted things to go back to normal already.  Without knowledge of how he’d gotten there, Sasuke found himself standing in front of Naruto, seething.

“Listen here Naruto,” he said quietly, venom dripping from his tongue, “I am sick of whatever game you’re playing.  Tell me what the fucking problem is now or I’ll-”

“Or you’ll what?” the blonde taunted, crossing his arms.  This only riled Sasuke up more.

Sasuke stood up straight and clenched his fists at his side as he tried to get his breathing under control.  He could not do this, if he fought Naruto he would get expelled, Naruto would get expelled, his mom might even disown him.  He could _not_ fight Naruto.  He could _not_ get expelled.  He could _not_ get Naruto expelled.  He could _not_ fight Naruto in _his_ fucking home, the home of the superintendent.

“Heh.  That’s what I thought Uchiha.”

Lost in his rage, Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the collar and slammed him on the ground, pinning him so he couldn’t escape.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he screamed over the blond boy, angry tears welling in his eyes.  “Why are you doing this?”

“What the fuck am I doing Sasuke?  I’m _minding my own business_.  You should give it a try.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?  Cut it out!”  Sasuke’s fist slammed into the ground an inch away from Naruto’s head and the blond’s eyes grew wide.  That could have been his face...but it wasn’t.

Naruto knew that if he were in Sasuke’s position, he wouldn’t hesitate to put the bastard in his place, expulsion or not.  Was Sasuke really pulling punches?

“I just want my best friend back,” he heard the other whisper, almost inaudibly.  He wasn’t sure that he was even supposed to have heard it.

Naruto sat up- face-to-face with Sasuke- looking deep into his dark eyes, possibly even his soul.  Sasuke was right, they needed this to stop.

Before Sasuke could react, Naruto ran both of his hands through the back of Sasuke’s hair, gripping it tightly and pulling the other boy into a passionate kiss.

At first, Sasuke was too shocked to respond, but that didn’t discourage Naruto.  Within moments Sasuke was kissing him back, encouraging Naruto to take it a step further as he easily slipped his tongue into the other’s mouth.

Naruto pushed Sasuke backwards to crawl on top of him as he dominated the kiss, slowly grinding his hips against the other.  Sasuke broke the kiss to let out a small gasp right as Kakashi walked back in.

“So,” the instructor began, “doing better now?”

The boys remained silent, but as Sasuke saw Naruto smile for the first time since the game, he couldn’t help but smile himself.

 

*****

 

“I wasn’t surprised to find Naruto’s grades slipping given all the...tension since the game,” Kakashi explained to Mikoto in their weekly meeting about the boys’ progress.  “To find him struggling in the topic that he specifically chose though, was a bit a surprise.”

“Would it actually be better if we separated them?” Mikoto questioned begrudgingly.  The “buddy-system”- as she’d begun to call it- had been working wonders for both boys.  Aside from the fact that they were _actually_ _getting along_ , both of them had been excelling academically and even their coaches had commented on their improved teamwork in general.  As Sasuke’s mother, Mikoto had noticed her son in a better mood overall and Kushina swore that Naruto’s mood had improved in the same way.

Then the soccer game happened and everything went downhill.  Both boys had suffered academically to an extent (Sasuke had faltered only slightly, but it was still noticeable), they had seemingly lost all interest in their favorite sport, and both boys acted almost depressed on a regular basis.

“I don’t think so,” Kakashi replied with a smirk.  “The boys seem to have made up while they were making out.”

Mikoto couldn’t keep the smile off her face at Kakashi’s announcement.  “Are you saying that it finally happened?”

“I’m saying _something_ happened.  It’s hard to tell where it will go from here, but we can all hope for the best.”

“Personal matters aside,” Mikoto moved on, “do you think that this system is an adequate alternative or that this case is special?”

“There’s no denying that this case is special.  However, there is a chance that other students would benefit from it in the same way that Naruto and Sasuke have.  We still have awhile left on this particular case, so we should at least see it through to the end.”

“Alright Kakashi,” Mikoto agreed, “thank you.  See you next week.”

As soon as Kakashi left her office, Mikoto was on the phone with her best friend.  “Kushina, it finally happened!”

 

*****

 

“Naruto,” Kushina called as she knocked on her son’s door.  After what Mikoto had told her, she wasn’t taking any chances at barging into his room.  There were some things that a mother didn’t need to see.

“Yeah?”  The blond asked groggily as he opened the door.  Apparently he’d been napping.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure,” he answered as he opened the door wider for his mother to enter the room.  “What’s up?”

“I heard about what happened with Sasuke,” she smiled.

“Oh, that,” the teen scratched the back of his head nervously.

“Are you not happy about it?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just...I don’t know where that puts us.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we kissed.  Now what?  Kakashi walked in on us and we haven’t talked about it since.”

“How does Sasuke feel about it?”

“I don’t _know_ how Sasuke feels about it.  We haven’t been alone since it happened, so now I’m just confused.”

“Why don’t you just call him or something?”

“Ma, Sasuke isn’t really a talker.”

“This is important Naruto, you need to discuss it.”

“I know, but I have to see him first.”

“You know where he lives,” she said dryly.

“I know, I just don’t know if it’s the right time yet.  Maybe we should take the weekend to figure it out or something?  I don’t know.  I’ll figure something out.”

Kushina smiled at her son.  “Well, when you do figure it out, just let me know.  I’ll drive you to his house.”

Naruto smiled in return.  “Heh.  Thanks Ma.”

 

*****

 

Mikoto found her son in the study, lying on the floor as he stared up at the ceiling.

“Ah yes,” she joked, “the ceiling theorem, my favorite.”

Sasuke looked at his mother with an unamused expression on his face.  Mikoto sighed as she sat next to her son.

“Is this where it happened?”

Now it was Sasuke’s turn to sigh.  Of course his mother had found out, Kakashi probably told her about it.

“Yeah,” he answered quietly.

“How do you feel about it?”

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly.  Sasuke didn’t like dealing with emotions, and right now he was experiencing too many to even put a name to.

“Well,” his mother began, “how do you feel about Naruto?  Be honest Sasuke.  Not just with me, but yourself.”  She knew her son way too well.

“I...don’t know.”

“Talk through it Sasuke, don’t overthink it.  Just say whatever comes to mind.”

Sasuke sighed again.  He knew his mother was right, but he hated talking things out.  “He’s...cute.”

Mikoto smiled warmly.  “Cute how?”

“Physically...the things he does are cute...his smile…”

“So you find him attractive and interesting.  You like his smile.”

“His smile’s great,” Mikoto watched as her son sported a smile of his own.

“Okay, what else?”

“He’s annoying.”

“Everyone’s annoying to you, Sasuke.  How does he make you feel?”

“Depends on what he’s doing.”

“How did you feel before the game?”

“I was...happy.  I was content, very content.”

“How did you feel during the game.”

“Not unhappy.  I was focused on the game and Naruto.  I wasn’t going to fight him, I was just trying to reason with him, but it looked like a fight.”

“After the game?”

“Immediately after?”

“Yes.”

“I wasn’t upset at all.  I didn’t care that we got kicked out.  I was almost...relieved.”

“Relieved why?”

“I felt like being a part of the game was stressful.  Going up against Naruto was stressful.”

“Okay.  So later?  A week after the game?”

“Naruto was so quiet.  He stopped talking to me entirely.  It was frustrating.”

“Frustrating how?”

“I just wanted him to talk to me.  I wanted everything to be normal between us again, but it wasn’t.  I didn’t even know why.”

“Okay, so tell me about the kiss.  What happened?”

“Kakashi took our work and left us alone for over an hour.  We were sitting in silence doing nothing for _over an hour_.  I was already frustrated, but it pissed me off.  I didn’t even know Naruto could be quiet.  I thought it was something that I had always wanted, but I was wrong.  So I walked up to him and started yelling.  He gave me arrogant responses that just pissed me off more.  I almost hit him- I came so close- I hit the floor instead though.  Then he sat up...and he kissed me.”

“And then what happened?”

“I was shocked at first, so I froze.  Then I think I got lost in the moment and I was kissing him back.  Then Kakashi walked in on us.”

“Why did you kiss him back, Sasuke?”

“It felt right.  Not like something I was forced to do, but something that I needed to do; it felt like the appropriate reaction.”

“Did you kiss him because he was kissing you.”

“No.  Well yes, but no.  I didn’t feel guilted into it or anything. It was more like something that should have happened.  Something that was meant to happen.  Something that we both needed to happen?”

“How do you feel about Naruto?”

“He’s my best friend.  I like being around him and I…” Sasuke froze in realization.

“Do you have feelings for Naruto, Sasuke?”

Sasuke hung his head as a small smile graced his lips.  “Apparently so.”

 

*****

 

“Hey bastard,” Naruto smiled at Sasuke when he opened his front door.  “Got a minute?”

“Sure,” Sasuke replied noncommittally as let Naruto into his house.  “We can go to the study?”

“Nothing like spending all my free time in my makeshift classroom,” the blond joked.  “Alright, let’s go.”

When the boys were alone in the study, Sasuke turned to Naruto for an explanation.

“Umm,” Naruto began nervously, “about that kiss…”

“Yeah?”  Sasuke was growing impatient.  _Say whatever it is that you need to say, Naruto._

“Did you ever figure out your sexuality?”  The blond changed topics so fast that Sasuke thought he might get whiplash.

“What?”

“Did you ever...figure out your sexuality?”

Sasuke crossed his arms and shifted his weight to one foot.  “Not really, no.  Why?”

“Oh,” the blond seemed discouraged.

“Naruto?”

“Huh?  Oh, no reason; I was just...curious…”

Sasuke sighed.  This was going nowhere.  “I mean...I’m willing to experiment,” he explained, “I’m just unsure right now.”

Naruto didn’t seemed quelled by that explanation, so he continued.  “Why are you so concerned about my sexuality anyway?”

“Well, I...I kinda wanted to know if I fit within whatever confines…”

Sasuke smirked, putting a finger to the moron’s lips.  “I’m not sure what the confines are Naruto, but you definitely fit within them.”

Naruto looked shocked as his eyes met Sasuke’s, causing Sasuke to smile.  Sasuke leaned down ever so slightly and quickly brushed his lips over Naruto’s.

“Is this what you want, Naruto?”  His voice was raspy as he taunted the blond.

Without answering, Naruto threaded his fingers through Sasuke’s hair as he leaned up, kissing the raven once again.  

Soon the boys found themselves in a position very similar to the one that Kakashi had walked in on.  This time however, there would be no one to stop them.

 

*****

 

If dealing with Naruto and Sasuke as rivals was troublesome, then dealing with Naruto and Sasuke as a couple was even worse.

Kakashi was genuinely happy for the boys and so were their mothers.  He was happy that the boys didn’t have to hide their relationship and that things between them had improved.  What he wasn’t happy about, were the things he had the misfortune of bearing witness to.

Too many times had he turned around to Naruto’s hand resting on Sasuke where it shouldn’t be.  Too many times had he caught Naruto biting his lip while staring at the Uchiha.  He couldn’t even _comprehend_ the lust in Sasuke’s eyes.

He was tired of being the voyeur in Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship, so he decided to do something about it.  They were practically his children, after all.

Kakashi walked into the study _on time_ for the first time.  The boys immediately knew something was up.

“Today we’re going to be covering something different,” he explained.

Naruto stared at him with a confused expression on his face as Sasuke stared at him blankly.

“Sex,” he began, “is a part of many relationships.”

Already Naruto was groaning.  “We learned about sex like 20 years ago, can we not talk about this?”

“No Naruto, it is important- now more than ever- that you listen to what I have to say.  Your relationship is fresh, you’re both in your teens, and your hormones are running wild.  It is _very_ likely that the two of you will have sex and I want to make sure you do it _safely_.”

Sasuke continued to stare at his instructor blankly.  Adults never talked to them as though sex was something that they were expected to do; it was always strictly educational.  Here was Kakashi though, telling them that they would have sex, and how to do it.  Specifically, with each other.

“Alright,” Kakashi began as he pulled out a few items.  He held them up for the boys to see.  “Condoms and lube.  These are very important.  I don’t care if you keep them on you 24/7, just _make sure you always use them_ .  Now before you say something about not needing condoms and being a virgin, you could carry something without even knowing it and you _don’t_ want to harm each other in any way, right?”

“Yeah,” the boys agreed quietly.

“That’s what I thought.  Unprotected sex is dangerous for _everyone_ , don’t forget that.  Now the lube.  Before you even skip to the good part, you _must_ prep your partner- no exceptions.  The anal canal is not built like a vagina.  If you jump the gun, you will hurt your partner and you don’t want that.”

Kakashi continued with his explanation as the boys listened.  Naruto looked slightly uncomfortable, but Sasuke made sure to pay attention.  Kakashi was right, this was important, and if his body’s reaction to Naruto was any indication, they _would_ be having sex.  It was all just a matter of when.

“Now,” Kakashi said, finishing his lecture, “I’m giving you guys the rest of the day off.  These are yours,” he continued, holding up the lube and condoms.  “Do what you will.  I’m not telling you to go have sex right now, but at least now I know you’ll be safe about it.”

Then he left, leaving the two hormonal teenage boyfriends alone in an empty house together

 

*****

 

“Sas...uke,” Naruto moaned the raven’s name as Sasuke was thrusting inside of him.  He was skeptical at first, but Sasuke found that he was enjoying himself- perhaps a little too much.

Sasuke admired the blond beneath him with sweat glistening on his tan skin.  Seeing Naruto like this and wrenching noises from him that he’d never heard before were doing things to the Uchiha’s body that even he didn’t know were possible.

Sasuke stroked Naruto’s cock into climax, taking himself over the edge as he watched Naruto find the ultimate release.  Their pants and moans filled the room as they rode out their orgasms.

When they finally got their breathing under control, Naruto smiled up at Sasuke.  “So about that sexuality issue…” Naruto began.

Sasuke actually managed to laugh.  “I really don’t know.  What I do know, is that we _will_ be doing that again.  A lot more, hopefully.”

“A lot more,” Naruto agreed.  “How about a lot more by the end of the day?”

Sasuke smiled at the blond before pulling him into his arms.  “Let’s find out how much ‘a lot more’ really is,” he whispered into his lover’s ear.

 

*****

 

The boys were doing a lot better with the PDA now.  They even seemed a lot more focused now.  It was amazing to see them like this.  They’d never been so well-behaved before.

That didn’t mean that Kakashi was taking any chances.  When he left the boys alone for their private study hour, he made sure to head downstairs and give the boys their privacy.  He no longer wanted to hear what was going on behind that door.

When he made it to the bottom of the stairs, Kakashi was met by Itachi.

“You’re home early,” he greeted the older Uchiha brother.

Itachi smirked at his brother’s instructor.  “I took the day off.  Are you sure that you should leave the two of them alone in a room together?”

Kakashi shrugged as he joined the other on the couch.  “It’s a little late for that.  Besides, I wouldn’t dare interrupt their alone time.”

“Don’t you think you’re giving them a little too much freedom?”

“Are you one to talk?”  Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the other.  “You’ve been supporting this longer than I’ve even known them.”

Itachi let out a small chuckle.  “They’ve always been this way.  They grew up together and got really close to each other.  They developed feelings for each other that even they couldn’t explain.  In their confusion, their desire turned aggressive.  We all knew that they would come around eventually, it was just a matter of time.  It took way too long in my opinion.  They chose fighting and arguing over their own happiness and being honest with themselves.  It was tragic in a messed-up sense of the word.”

Kakashi listened carefully to everything that Itachi had to say.  He had watched the younger boys grow up together, so obviously he was aware of more that was between them.

“You think they were in love all along?”

“I do,” Itachi answered simply.

Kakashi thought about the other’s words for a minute.  Sasuke and Naruto did always have a particular way they acted together.  Perhaps Itachi had a point.

 

*****

 

Upstairs, the boys were intertwined as they caught their breath,  Naruto was beaming and smiling at Sasuke and Sasuke’s eyes were closed as he basked in the moment.

“How much time do we have left?” Sasuke questioned the blond lying on his chest.

Naruto looked up at the clock on the wall.  “About 30 minutes.”

“Perfect,” Sasuke smiled as he grabbed a blanket to pull over them.  He’d never thought of himself as a cuddler, but Naruto seemed to have a way to bring out things in him that even he didn’t know he was capable of.

“Sasuke,” the blond giggled, “is the bastard Uchiha actually cuddling with me _willingly_?”

“Shut up Naruto,” he responded, but couldn’t help but smirk at the teasing.  Naruto was something else.

“Hey, Sasuke,” Naruto began quietly.

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, moron,” he responded as they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Kakashi heard the exchange as he passed the by the door.

“Told you so,” Itachi gloated as he walked past the other.

Kakashi turned to head back downstairs.  The hour wasn’t over yet, and the boys deserved their privacy.

Maybe today he’d let them have a longer break.   

 

*****

 

“Alright guys, nap time’s over,” Kakashi taunted the boys awake after an hour and a half.  “I’m assuming I’m not lucky enough for you to be wearing clothes under that blanket?”

Sasuke’s grunt was enough of an answer for him.  “Yeah, I figured as much,” he sighed.  “I’ll give you 15 minutes, but if I come back to find you asleep, I’m bringing in an air horn.”

Luckily for Kakashi, the boys were fully dressed when he returned.

“I have another assignment for you two,” he began.  “Tomorrow I won’t be meeting with you guys.  I want you two to meet up and go to the science museum, then go for a walk in a few parks.  It’s a group project, so write a paper together about what you learned.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the man.  “Seriously?”

“Yep.  Why don’t you guys try and pick up some Latin food while you’re at it?  Get yourselves a nice balanced educational diet.”

“Hn.  Very well.”

 

*****

 

“I can’t believe he gave us such an easy assignment,” Naruto rambled on as the boys strode through a local park hand-in-hand.

“Moron,” Sasuke smiled.

“What?”

“You’re a moron, Naruto.”

“What makes you say that?”

“A trip to a museum?  A walk in the park?  Dining together?  Our assignment’s a fucking date, Naruto.”

“But we have to write a paper.”

“A paper with no requirements whatsoever, except that we’re to write it _together_.  He sent us out on a date and tried to cover it be calling it an assignment.  It’s a date.  Just like his sex ed lesson was more of a ‘just fuck already’.”

“But why would he send us out on a date?”

Sasuke shrugged.  “Why would he want us to have sex?  Our punishment was togetherness, he’s only fulfilling that, really.  Besides, keeping us happy as couple probably influences our learning process.  We won’t be distracted constantly if he provides distractions that can still be tied to a lesson.”

“So you’re saying he has us do things that will keep us from getting distracted?  So we focus on him more?”

“Exactly.  Take the sex example for instance.  If he pushed us to have sex outside of class, _someone_ wouldn’t be feeling me up _in_ class.”

“Hey bastard, you wanted it!”

“I’m not denying that, Naruto.  In theory though, he’s just helping our performance.  I mean, how are your grades?”

Naruto thought about this for a moment.  “I think they’ve gotten better since we’ve been together.”

“Exactly.  Kakashi isn’t an easy teacher; he takes his job seriously.  He just has ways to make it less dull.  By going to that science museum we _did_ learn some things, by walking in this park we are experiencing the environment at its finest, and by eating Latin food we will be immersing ourselves in Latin culture.  It’s all educational, just _also_ a date.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Sasuke sighed.  “You’re more likely to remember information you’re interested in.  If you’re enjoying whatever it is that you’re doing, then you’re interested.  Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if our paper is a guideline for our next tests.  He’s literally having us do all the work, but also making it entertaining.”

“You make him sound like a comic book villain.”

“He’s an evil genius.”

“He’s not evil!”

“He cuts his workload in half by making us pull his weight, which simultaneously educates us.  Yes he is.”

“Whatever.  Can’t we just enjoy the day?”

“I _am_ enjoying the day.”

Naruto laughed lightheartedly.  He knew his boyfriend wasn’t upset; he was just making a point.  The year was almost over though, which meant that they had one more year of punishment.

“Hey, Sasuke?’

“Yeah?”

“How are we going to decide our free study next year?”

“Hn.  I don’t know.”

 

*****

 

“So, what did you guys learn,” Kakashi asked during their next class.

“That you sent us on a date,” Sasuke smirked.

“Indeed,” he agreed.  “It was more than that, though.  You covered several topics that we have covered- or will be covering- all from one little adventure together.”

The boys stared at the older man, waiting for him to continue.

“As you may remember, this punishment is about being together.  Well, now you’re together in a different sense of the word.  That said, as for your togetherness, I can only help you along the way from here.  This may include, educating you on safe sex practices, sending you on dates in which you have the ability to learn more about the world you inhabit, and help you make decisions together.  All of your assignments from here on out will be joint assignments.  That means one paper, just like this last time.”

“Why now?” Sasuke questioned.

“Well, partially because you are a couple now and I’m trying to help you with your whole togetherness thing.  Also, I’m tired of grading almost identical papers, you obviously work together, just give me one copy.”

“What about tests?” Naruto asked.

“Tests will be taken together too.  When you go out into the real world, life is all about working together as a team.  The greatest tests of your abilities will be in a group setting, so there’s no need for you to take these tests alone.  Besides, some of the best solutions can come from two people working together.”

“What about soccer?”  Sasuke asked.

“Ah, see, I’m not a coach.  Soccer is completely out of my jurisdiction, so you’ll remain on the teams you’re on now, playing against each other.  Not that you’re allowed on the field at the same time again until next year.”

“That was a misunderstanding,” Naruto explained.

“I know, but the officials don’t, so don’t get worked up about it, okay?  Anymore questions?”

The boys remained silent, so Kakashi continued.  “Alright, for a free study topic next year, I want you _both_ to decide _together_ what you would like to learn.  Don’t rush this.  Start thinking about it now, discuss it, discuss possible topics.  Think about it over the summer.  I’ll ask for your decision on the first day of your senior year.

  
The boys looked at each other silently.  How were they ever going to find a topic that they could agree on?


	4. Senior Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys go through Senior year together while Mikoto second guesses her new program.

“Welcome to your final year of high school,” Kakashi greeted the boys.  They looked refreshed from summer break and seemed almost happy to be there.  That was a pleasant surprise.

“I guess you want the game plan, huh?  Alright, Literacy as usual, Writing and Grammar as usual- sorry guys, there’s no escaping those.  For math this year we’ll cover Calculus BC, the senior-level science course is Physics, World History will take place between the Renaissance and Modern eras, and we will continue to study Latin.  Have the two of you agreed on a free study topic?”

The boys exchanged a look before turning their attention back to Kakashi.  

“International Relations,” Naruto told him.

“Really?”  Kakashi looked at him quizzically.

“Yeah,” Naruto explained.  “We talked about it a lot over the past few months.  Sasuke’s interested in international business and I’m interested in other nations, so we decided that it would be a fair compromise.”

“Well, well,” Kakashi responded, “and they say you don’t marry your high school sweetheart.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the older man and Naruto blushed.  _So they_ have _discussed marriage.  How interesting._

“Very well then.  What would you guys like to start with?”

 

*****

 

“Hey, Naruto,” Sasuke confronted the blond after Kakashi left.  “Would you like to stay for awhile?”

“Huh?  What for, Sasuke?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes.  How did he end up with such an oblivious boyfriend?

“My parents are out of town,” he explained, “I figured we could spend some time together.  Itachi’s in charge while they’re gone, but I bet he wouldn’t mind if you stayed the night,” he shrugged nonchalantly.

“I don’t know, Sasuke, I’m not sure my parents would let me.  It is a school night after all.”

Sasuke looked at his boyfriend incredulously.  “Naruto, _my house_ is your school.  Even if you end up being late by some miracle, you’ll still be here before Kakashi.  What’s the problem?”

“Oh,” Naruto laughed nervously.  “I didn’t think about that.  Let me call and ask Ma.”

 

*****

 

“Itachi,” Sasuke began when he reached the bottom of the stairs.  He had left Naruto alone so that he could call his mother.

“Let me guess, Sasuke,” his sadistic older brother began, “you want Naruto to spend the night?”

Sasuke simply glared in response.

“Hn.  Cute, Sasuke.  _That’s_ the way to convince me to let your little boyfriend stay the night.”

“Is that a ‘no’?”

“It’s not a ‘no’,” Itachi clarified. “What’s in it for me though, if I let him stay?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes at his brother.  Why was he always so annoying?  “What do you want?”

“Pictures,” Itachi joked as Sasuke scowled at him.  “I’m kidding, Sasuke.”

“That still doesn’t answer my question,” the younger brother hissed.

Itachi thought about it for a moment.  Sasuke didn’t really have anything that he could provide him with- nothing he’d want anyway- nor did Naruto.  He’d have to settle for humiliation.  

“How do you feel about him, Sasuke?”

“What?”  The only person that Sasuke dared to admit his feelings for Naruto to was Naruto.  Otherwise, Sasuke didn’t like dealing with it.

“How do you feel about Naruto?"

Sasuke groaned.  “What do you want from me, Itachi?  Intimate details of our sex life?”

“That wasn’t where I was going with that, Sasuke, but if you’d like to provide-”

“No,” Sasuke cut him off.

Itachi sighed.  “I figured as much.  I want to know what exactly it is that you feel for Naruto.”

Sasuke glared at his brother.  “I...enjoy his presence.”

“Is that all, Sasuke?  You like spending a little time with the guy, so you want him to stay _all_ night?  After seeing him _all_ day?  And knowing that you’ll see him again tomorrow?   _All day_?”

Sasuke growled.  “I...like him,” he blushed.

“Aww, how cute.  And I should allow my baby brother to get into who-knows-what kind of trouble while I’m not watching him and his little crush make out?”

“Seriously?”

Itachi simply stared in reply.

“Fine then.  I like him a lot,” Sasuke grimaced while crossing his arms.

“Oh, okay.  So I just sit back and _let_ you spend all night fucking your high school sweetheart?  Most high school relationships don’t work out Sasuke; I’d spare myself the pain if I were you.”

Sasuke’s face lost all malice at Itachi’s statement.  He almost looked worried for a brief moment.  “I love him,” he said quietly with his head down.

Itachi actually felt bad now.  Perhaps he had gone too far.  “Sasuke, I was just teasing you.  I know you love him and I’m sure it will work out.  I have no problem with him staying the night or the entire week here.”

Sasuke looked up at his brother in acknowledgement, but still looked broken.

“I’m sorry, Sasuke,” he apologized.  “Now go get the love of your life and tell him how you feel, okay?”

Itachi need not utter another word as Sasuke silently headed up the stairs.

 

*****

 

“Hey Ma,” Naruto greeted his mother over the phone.

“Is something wrong, sweetie?”

“No, nothing’s wrong.  I was just wondering if I could spend the night at Sasuke’s.”

Naruto rolled his eyes at Kushina’s squeal of delight.  After Naruto and Sasuke had made their relationship official, Kushina confessed to Naruto that she’d wanted them to realize their feelings since they were young children.  Therefore, he wasn’t at all shocked by her answer.

“Of course, honey, spend as much time as you want over there!  I’ll see you when Mikoto gets back!”  She hung up before he could even respond.

Naruto looked down at his phone for a moment until Sasuke returned.

“What did she say?”

“Heh.  She said ‘yes’.”

“Yeah, so did Itachi.  In fact, he said you could stay all week if you wanted to.”

“So did Ma,” Naruto explained.  “I’ll need some underwear though.”

Sasuke shrugged, “just use some of mine.”

“What?”

“What?  Are you scared?  They’re clean, Naruto.  Or are you just scared of our junk touching indirectly?”

Naruto snorted.  “I guess you’ve got a point, bastard.”

“Yeah,” Sasuke said, almost sadly.  “Hey, Naruto, you know I love you, right?”

Naruto blinked in surprise.  “Yeah...but I mean...uhh...are you okay, Sasuke?”

“What do you mean?”

“Since when do you talk about your feelings?”

“Naruto, after this year, we won’t be high-schoolers anymore.  We’ll be going off to college, maybe even different colleges.  Are we...is this…” Sasuke couldn’t finish his thought, but Naruto understood his unasked question.

“We’ll be fine, bastard.  I mean, it’s a little early to decide, but with Kakashi as our teacher, I’m sure I can get into any college you do!”  Sasuke didn’t seem convinced so Naruto continued.  “I’ll follow you to the ends of the Earth, Sasuke,” he added emotionally.

Sasuke looked back up at his boyfriend, hopeful.  “Promise?”

“I swear.”

 

*****

 

Kakashi, of course, walked in late as always.

“You guys look tired, long night?” he teased.  “And Naruto, why are you wearing Sasuke’s clothes? “

Sasuke smirked and Naruto blushed.  Damn he was going to miss these two next year.

“At least you’re both happy,” he concluded.  “Can I join the next sleepover?”

“That’d be tonight,” Itachi called from across the hall, causing Kakashi to laugh.

“Oh, really?  So, Sasuke, what do you say?”

Sasuke raised his eyebrow, challenging his instructor.  “If you really want bear witness to that, then sure,” he responded, wrapping an arm around an even more flustered Naruto.

“Fair point,” he conceded.  “I’ll sit this one out.  Now let’s get to work, shall we?”

 

*****

 

“You look happy, Naruto,” Kushina gushed when he returned home a week later.

“Of course I’m happy, Ma.  Sasuke is...he’s my best friend.”

“He’s your boyfriend, Naruto.”

“That doesn’t mean that he isn’t my best friend, Ma.  He’s just both.”

“Oh, is that how it is?  I guess you’re also a guy so having a boyfriend who is also your best friend makes sense.  In my world, though, I need a girlfriend.  That’s what I’ve got Mikoto for.”

Naruto laughed at his mother.  “Okay Ma, I’ll make sure to tell Dad he’s number two.”

“Oh, don’t be that way, son.”

“Heh.”

“So, how do you think you’ll fare without sleeping next to Sasuke every night?”

Naruto hadn’t even thought of that somehow.  He hung his head in disappointment.  “Damn, you’re right.”

Kushina wrapped an arm around her son.  “You’ll be fine, Naruto.  Maybe you’ll just have to spend the night with him more often?”

He looked as his mom quizzically.  “Are you suggesting that I _should_?”

She shrugged as she walked off.  “Who knows?  You decide.”

 

*****

 

“I think my mom wants me to sleep over here more often,” Naruto explained to Sasuke as they awaited Kakashi’s arrival.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah.  She got me all depressed when I went home and realized I wouldn’t be sleeping with you every night.  Then she said maybe I should spend the night more often.”

“Yeah, sounds like it.  My mom said something similar.  If you like, you can stay over on the weekends?”

Naruto’s smile lit a fire in Sasuke’s heart.  “Of course!”

He scooted close to the blond, pulling him into his lap as he murmured into his ear.  “Why can’t you just move in with me?”

“Sasuke,” Naruto smiled happily as Sasuke nuzzled into his neck.  Of course, Kakashi chose that moment to walk in.

“Having withdrawals already?  That was fast.”

Naruto removed himself from Sasuke’s lap and focused his attention on Kakashi to begin the day.  Sasuke glared at his instructor for interrupting his moment with Naruto.

“Enough glaring, Sasuke.  Now, let’s talk about China.”

 

*****

 

Sasuke and Naruto were allowed back onto the field together once again.  Sasuke, however, wasn’t as passionate about soccer anymore.  Naruto, of course, was overly excited and kept tripping over himself.  Both of the boys were distracted.

Sasuke couldn’t stop checking Naruto out as he ran across the field and tripped...over and over again.  Naruto would only look up every so often, but when he did, his eyes would meet Sasuke’s and a warm smile would grace the raven’s face, causing Naruto’s heart to all but stop.

Fed up, their coaches pulled them from the game early.  They were each told to hit the showers because- in their current state- they would not return to the field this game.  

Naruto, of course, had to keep up their tradition.

“Hey bastard,” he greeted Sasuke as he leaned up against the wall.

“Why am I not surprised?”

Naruto strode over to where Sasuke was standing and smiled at him.  “Did I ever tell you how hot that uniform makes you look?”

Sasuke smirked.  “You’re one to talk, dobe.”

Naruto sighed happily as he pushed Sasuke against the lockers and leaned up to kiss him.

“Hn.  Getting ahead of ourselves, are we?”

“What do you mean, Sasuke?”  Naruto feigned innocence as he looked up at his boyfriend.

“Cute,” Sasuke smirked as he leaned back down to kiss Naruto again.  “I guess we’re just lucky I brought these, huh?” Sasuke asked as he held up a tube of lube and a pack of condoms.

“Oh, you came prepared?”

“Give me time and I won’t be the only one that’s prepared, Naruto,” he purred in the other’s ear.

“You better make good on that promise, bastard,” Naruto hissed in response.

“Hn,” Sasuke flipped open the tube and squirted some of the fluid on his fingers.  He slipped his hand into Naruto’s shorts and gently stroked at his entrance before slowly pushing one digit in.  As he began to finger the other boy, he could hear Naruto’s breathing pick up.

“Hurry up, bastard,” Naruto groaned.  “We don’t have all day.”

“Hn.  You’re right,” he agreed, adding another finger, scissoring them as he stretched Naruto out.  He brushed up against a particular spot within Naruto, causing the other boy to cry out.

“Shh, baby, you don’t want to get us caught,” he whispered as he inserted yet another finger.

“Sasuke,” Naruto moaned quietly as he ground down on Sasuke’s fingers.

“Okay, okay, I can take a hint,” he chuckled as he looked around.  He didn’t want to take too many risks.  “Let’s take this to the shower,” he added, shoving the condoms in his pocket.

Naruto huffed, but followed Sasuke to the showers anyway.  Once Naruto had stalked into the shower stall that Sasuke was occupying, Sasuke closed the curtain behind him.

“Lose the clothes, Naruto,” he instructed.      

“After you, bastard.”

Sasuke smirked as he dropped his shorts and underwear in one go, his erection standing proudly for the blond to see, then he stripped Naruto of his shirt.  

Naruto followed suit, stripping Sasuke of his shirt as well.

The sight of Sasuke’s naked form in front of him made Naruto’s mouth water.  Unfortunately for them, the amount of time set aside for soccer games was limited, so they’d have to leave foreplay to a minimum.  There would be time for that later anyway.

Sasuke had a similar reaction to Naruto’s body as he wished for nothing more than to memorize every inch of his lover’s body with his own body.  He knew they had to be careful though, so he ignored his fantasies for the time being.

Sasuke pushed Naruto up against the shower wall, lifting him off the ground for a better angle.  He carefully lined himself up with Naruto’s entrance as he took a deep breath.

“Ready, baby?” he asked the other, his voice husky.

“Just do it,” Naruto groaned and Sasuke wasted no time, slowly pushing all the way in before stopping to let Naruto’s body adjust.

He decided that Naruto’s body was fully adjusted when he felt the other boy grinding against him and he felt his own breath quicken at the stimulation.  He began to thrust up into Naruto’s body, smirking at the restrained moans that Naruto was releasing.  He could feel his own moans escaping as he rammed into Naruto hard and fast.  Bringing a hand up to Naruto’s erection, he helped the other along until they were cumming together.

The boys were still catching their breath as they heard the rest of the Oto team enter the locker room.  Sasuke quickly turned the shower on to cover the sound of their breathing.  Now they’d have to wait until everyone left before they could move, but at least they didn’t get caught.

Sasuke began to think that maybe he wouldn’t mind so much if someone found him claiming the other boy as his own, though.  At least they’d know that Naruto belonged to him.

 

*****

 

Sasuke wasn’t surprised to find their coaches outside the locker room, waiting for them.  Naruto however, was.

“Jiraiya, what are you doing here?”

The man with long, white hair chuckled.  “I should be asking _you_ that, Naruto.  Or maybe I should be asking _who_ you’ve been doing.”  He let out a boisterous laugh and Orochimaru rolled his eyes.  The other coach always had been a pervert.

“Sasuke,” the coach began, “what would your mother say?”

Sasuke was silent for a moment as he ran through the options.  What _would_ his mother say?  Would she be livid because it interferes with her work?  Ecstatic for the couple she always wanted to exist?  Would she jokingly tell him that a bed’s more comfortable or that he had a room _with a door_ for a reason?  Sasuke honestly didn’t know, so he stayed silent.

“Oh Orochimaru, give them a break; they’re young, after all.  Their punishment was to cooperate, and I’d call that cooperation- if you know what I mean.”

Orochimaru ignored his old friend the pervert.  “I won’t tell your mother, Sasuke, but don’t let it happen again.”

“We actually came here to talk to you boys about something else entirely,” Jiraiya admitted.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow in confusion as Naruto stared, dumbfounded.

“Yes,” Orochimaru agreed.  “We were hoping that the two of you would eventually learn to play _well_ against each other, so we were to monitor your progress on that.  Since you’ve been kicked out of _literally_ every game you’ve played together though…”

“However,” Jiraiya picked up where the other had left off.  “We’ve seen both of you cheering the other on at _other_ games.”

“Indeed,” Orochimaru agreed.  “Aside from it being adorable to watch, we believe that this is sufficient to pass you on your teamwork and sportsmanship requirement of the punishment.  We planned to talk to Mikoto tomorrow, but we wanted you boys to know where you stood first.”

Sasuke stared at his coach.  Did he just call him _adorable_?  Uchiha Sasuke was _not_ adorable!

“Yes!  Did you hear that, Sasuke, we passed!”  Naruto was cheering next to him and it immediately brought a smile to his face.

Uzumaki Naruto- on the other hand- _was_ adorable.

 

*****

 

“I heard that the two of you passed your teamwork test,” Kakashi congratulated the boys as he walked into the room.

“Why didn’t we know about the teamwork test?” Sasuke questioned immediately.

“Hmm,” Kakashi thought aloud as he tapped his chin.  “I wonder about that.  In theory, if the two of you were aware of such a test, it would have been easy for you to fake it.  I personally believe that your rivalry was enough to get in the way of a teamwork test you aware of, but Mikoto _insisted_ you boys be left unaware.”

Sasuke looked over at his boyfriend.  Kakashi was right; teamwork test or not, Sasuke would have beaten Naruto’s ass into the field in- one way or another- eventually.  Naruto, however, wasn’t buying it.

“Oh come on, our rivalry wasn’t _that_ strong.”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the boy.  “You disrupted an entire game to pick a fight with one another.  Naruto, kicking the ball into Sasuke’s face would have been less aggressive; at least then you would have been able to pretend it was an accident.”

Sasuke smirked.  Kakashi had a point, but he knew Naruto never thought that far ahead.

“Now, in light of your success, let’s go on a field trip to Konoha University, but without me.”

“Of course you aren’t coming,” Naruto rolled his eyes.

Kakashi chuckled.  “Sorry boys, I have a...uh...an important meeting that I can’t miss.  While you’re there though, might I recommend checking out their soccer program?”

He left without another word and unbeknownst to the boys, he actually did have an important meeting to attend.

 

*****

 

“Is it sad that I’m amazed that they passed the teamwork test?” Mikoto questioned her staff and best friend.

“Not at all,” Kakashi answered, “you haven’t been working with them like we have.”

“Kakashi, Sasuke’s my _son_ ; I see him daily.”

“Yeah, and who else have you been seeing daily?” Kushina questioned.  “Way after their studies have ended for the day?  I’ll give you a hint, he likes to spend the night over there a lot, and honestly, I think you may see him more than I do now.”

“Kushina, that’s different; that’s a result of their relationship.”

“And their relationship is a result of their rivalry and vice versa.  They have always been close and they’ve always been rivals.  That’s why things get so heated between them and we both know it.”

“I don’t know.  What is this is too specific a case?” Mikoto pondered aloud.

“If I may interject,” Orochimaru began, “strong feelings of resentment harbor strong feelings in general, right?  Therefore, allowing students to connect to one another in an unaggressive style could form strong friendships or relationships for _anyone_ , not just these two.”

“So, you think the program would work for others?” Mikoto responded.

“It definitely could,” he agreed.

“It’s not just their relationship that’s improved though, Mikoto,” Kushina explained.  “Kakashi said their grades are excellent and they help each other along with the learning process; even the coaches think they’re doing better.”

“I can’t speak for Sasuke,” Jiraiya commented, “but Naruto works that much harder on the field when Sasuke’s there to cheer him on.”

“Sasuke does as well,” Orochimaru agreed.  “The boys boost each other in such a way that when they aren’t supporting each other, they are hurting each other.  They are either each other’s strength or weakness, with nothing in between.”

“Again though, doesn’t that support that this case is too specific?  Naruto and Sasuke might be made for each other while other students are not,” Mikoto argued.

“Not at all,” Kakashi calmly explained.  “If this case has shown us anything, it’s that a student’s greatest weakness can become their greatest strength.  In the grand scheme of things, I think that’s a great message for the ‘buddy-system’.”

“Alright,” Mikoto sighed, “you’ve made your point.  What about college though?”

“The boys are on a field trip to Konoha U right now,” Kakashi explained.  “I made sure to have them check out the soccer program.”

“Konoha U,” Kushina began, “Mikoto didn’t they-”

“Indeed they did, Kushina,” Mikoto answered her friend's unfinished question.  “Good choice, Kakashi.  Until our next meeting, why don’t you focus on college-related issues with the boys so we can interpret how the buddy-system influences the future of our students.”

 

*****

 

“Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.  To what do I owe the pleasure?” Coach Ibiki of Konoha’s men’s soccer team greeted the boys.

“We’re actually here on an assignment and were instructed to check out the soccer program,” Sasuke explained.

“Heh, I’m glad; it saves me the trouble of trying to get a hold of you.”

“Huh?”  Naruto looked at the coach like he was crazy.

“We want you on our team.  In fact, Konoha is willing to offer a full-ride scholarship.”

“To which one of us?” Sasuke questioned.

“Both of you,” he explained.

“So either of us?”  Sasuke asked again.

“No,  To _both of you_.  We want you both.  Together.”

“Huh?”  Sasuke rolled his eyes at his boyfriend.

“Since when do schools recruit two students as a packaged deal?”  Sasuke asked.

“The two of you have a rivalry unlike anything I’ve ever seen on the field.  Besides that, I’ve heard that the two of you have actually grown close, inseparable in fact.  If all that is true, than your chemistry on the field could be incredible.  We want you together, that’s the deal.”

“Hn.  Have you been speaking with my mother?”

“Not at all, but your coaches even recommended the two of you _together_.”  Ibiki fished a business card out of his desk and handed it to Sasuke.  “If you’d like to take me up on the offer, you know where to find me.”

 

*****

 

“How was your field trip, boys?” Kakashi asked as he entered the room.

“Why do they want us together?” Naruto asked, still confused.

“Haven’t figured it out yet, Naruto?”  Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the blond.  “It’s okay, you’ll get there.  What did you think of the University?”

Sasuke shrugged.  “It was a University.  It had academics and athletics as well as really old buildings.  Specifically?”

“Have you contemplated attending Konoha?  Either of you?”

“Of course,” Sasuke explained.  “I’ve looked into several schools, including Oto.”

“Oh?  And which fits you better?”  Kakashi didn’t miss how Sasuke briefly turned to look at Naruto before returning his gaze to Kakashi and shrugging.

“What about you, Naruto?”  Kakashi asked the other.

“I...I’ve never really thought about it,” he explained.

“Oh?  And why not?”

“I don’t know if...if college is right for me,” he explained quietly.  Kakashi had never seen the boy look so defeated.  Perhaps he’d hit on a nerve.

Sasuke was staring at Naruto with a blank expression, but pain in his eyes.  Kakashi suddenly became aware of the tense atmosphere.

“Oh, look at that, it’s time for your personal study hour.  I’ll leave you two alone for now, see you in a hour.”

He quickly dismissed himself hoping that the boys would talk this through and reach a resolution quickly.  Perhaps the buddy-system had some flaws.

 

*****

 

“Naruto,” Sasuke looked at his boyfriend accusingly.

Naruto responded with an embarrassed look of his own, but remained silent.

“You don’t want to go to college?”

Naruto shrugged.  “I just don’t know if it’s right for me.”

“Right for you?  Naruto, what is this all about?”

“I just told you, Sasuke, I don’t know if it’s right for me.  It might be difficult for someone with grades as great as yours to understand, but-”

“Your grades are fine!  What do you mean they aren’t as great as mine?  We have the same grades, Naruto!”

“That’s not what I meant, Sasuke.”

Sasuke raised his eyebrows at the other boy.  “I’m waiting.”

Naruto sighed.  He really didn’t want this to come up, but he knew it would eventually.  “I just...if you get into a really good school and I don’t...I mean...I’d rather work a minimum wage job forever than lose you over...anything.”

“Naruto...what the fuck are you talking about?”

“You’re so smart Sasuke; you could get into any school you wanted.  I’m not as smart as you are.  I don’t want us to break up because you got into a great school that’s super far away and Konoha is my best bet.”

“Naruto…” Sasuke sighed, massaging his temples.  “I don’t care about that.  Prestige is meaningless, Naruto.  You go to school to learn, not to puff up your own ego.  I don’t care what school I go to; I’m there to learn.”

“But what if you get into a school that I don’t and you want to go there?”

“I’m not going to leave you behind, Naruto.  I’m perfectly fine with going to Konoha, if that’s where you want to go.  We can make a decision together; it doesn’t have to be a breaking point.”

Naruto looked up at his boyfriend, almost ashamed.  “Promise?”

“Of course, moron,” he responded, holding out his hands, “now come here.  We still have 30 minutes left.”

 

*****

 

When Kakashi re-entered the room, the boys had obviously made up.  Sasuke had his arms wrapped around Naruto and both boys were fast asleep.  It was adorable, but they still had some things to discuss.

“Alright guys, rise and shine.”

Sasuke opened his eyes immediately and leveled Kakashi with a glare while Naruto whined and shifted in Sasuke’s arms, trying to go back to sleep.

“Naruto…” Kakashi warned, “...don’t make me get the air horn.”

Naruto sat upright immediately, though he wavered some, still not fully awake.

“Did you figure out what you want to do about college, Naruto?”

“Kinda,” he admitted.

“So, are you going to attend school after you graduate this year?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, hanging his head.

“Good answer.  Now, what are you two planning on majoring in?”

“Accounting,” Sasuke answered immediately.  “I want to be a CPA.”

“That’s a good fit for you Sasuke.  Naruto?”

“I don’t know.  I’ve never really thought of it.”

“Hmm, I see.  Sasuke, what do you think Naruto should major in?”

“Anthropology,” he answered immediately.

“That was fast.  Why do you think that?”

“Naruto cares about people; it’s a perfect fit.”

“I agree.  Naruto, what do you think?”

“I mean, I guess it’s worth a try.  Sasuke’s right, I care about people.  I guess I’ll just have to look into it.”

“That’s fair.  Sasuke, I assume you’ll fill him in, then?”

“Of course,” Sasuke answered with resolve.

“Very well then.  I’ll see you two tomorrow.”  

 

*****

 

“What are they boys’ stances on college?”

Kakashi sighed. He was fully aware of what the conversation with Mikoto would entail, but it had been a rough topic to pursue.

“When I first brought it up, Naruto didn’t seem very...driven.”

“What do you mean, Kakashi?”

“He wasn’t sure that post-secondary education was for him.”

“Did you convince him otherwise?”

“You expect too much from me, Mikoto; Sasuke did though.”

“Hmm.  That’s a good sign.  Do you think the program has the potential to show the same results for other students?”

“I mean, each case is different, Mikoto.”

“Do you think it’s too specific, though?  Maybe Naruto and Sasuke are the only case that this works for.”

“Stop second-guessing yourself.  Are you worried that by implementing this system on your own son, that you’re playing favorites?  Are you worried that you’re _actually_ playing favorites?  We keep revisiting this same question.”

Mikoto let her head fall into her hands.  “I don’t know, Kakashi.  I’d love to say that we’re developing this new, innovative learning system, but what if we aren’t?  What if it only works for the rivalry that Sasuke and Naruto possess?  What if I just want my son and Kushina’s to benefit from private instruction?  Am I overstepping?”

“This did start as a punishment, Mikoto.  This isn’t unlike a punishment that a mother would impose on her two children that are arguing.  As superintendent, you should see all students as your children.  If it works out in the end, there is no reason not to pursue it.  Logically, you’re fine.”

“Fundamentally, am I giving my child preferential treatment?”

“To an extent, sure.  You’re also using your own child as a guinea pig,” he shrugged.  “You’ve also probably found a great solution for troublesome students or rivalries as it were.  One pair won’t make or break the system, anyway; we’ll need to continue it and monitor its results to reach a final verdict.”

She sighed.  “I guess you’re right.  So, back to college.”

“Ah, yes.  Sasuke wants to be a CPA, determined on majoring in Accounting.  Naruto was unsure of what to pursue, so Sasuke suggested Anthropology.  They’re looking into that now.”

“So, because of the program, Naruto was convinced to continue his education _and_ had an idea of what he could major in.  That’s great, let’s hope we see results like this in the future.”

“I was thinking the same thing.  It’s not just because they’re in a relationship, but because of their forced camaraderie, they know more about each other than anyone else.  They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, which is helping them grow together instead of remaining stagnant at different point in their education.  They really push each other to excel and I believe that can be true with any rivalry."

“Thanks, Kakashi.  Way to spin that in my favor.  You’re right though, at the least it’s working well for them.   Do you know what schools they want to attend and...how is that going to affect them?”

“Heh.  I don’t think you have anything to worry about there.  I overheard their conversation and Sasuke doesn’t care about prestige in the least, so Naruto’s insecurities of his own abilities have been somewhat quelled.  They haven’t seemed to decide on which school to attend, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Konoha, and they will likely attend school together.”

“That’s very good for them.  I’m glad that Sasuke cares more about his education than bragging about getting into the ‘best’ University.  Alright, I guess that’s it for now then.  Keep up the great work, Kakashi.”

“Heh.  It’s not me; it’s all Sasuke and Naruto.”

 

*****

 

“We’re reaching the end of the year guys.  Do you have a plan yet?”

Naruto looked up at his instructor confused.  “Huh?”

“Idiot.  He’s talking about college, of course.”

“Indeed I am.  So, your plan?”

“I had Naruto look into Anthropology; he really liked it.”

“And at which school will Naruto be pursuing Anthropology?”

“Haven’t gotten that far yet, Kakashi,” Sasuke retorted.  “We’ve barely even looked into schools yet.”

“Deadlines are approaching, guys.”

Sasuke glared at his instructor as Naruto looked sick sitting next to him.

“Okay, team project you two.  I want your plan in writing and verbally presented to me by our last class, okay?”

“You’re serious,” Sasuke deadpanned.

“I am. Now get to work.”

Sasuke sighed and stood up.  “Come on, Dobe, let’s go visit some schools.”

Naruto stood up to follow Sasuke out of the room.  Kakashi smirked as he leaned back in his chair and opened his book.  The boys were going to nail this, and he knew it.

 

*****

 

“What’s your plan, boys?”  Their final class had begun and Kakashi was actually excited to hear what they had to say.

Sasuke handed in their plan essay while Naruto began to speak.

“Me and Sasuke decided that we’re gonna go to Konoha together and join the soccer team!”

“Why Konoha?”

“Well, if we stayed in Konoha, there’s the option of commuting instead of living on campus,” Sasuke explained.

“So you want to stay with your parents?”

“Not necessarily,” Naruto interjected.  “We could get an apartment together or something.  It’s really more about keeping our options open; maybe we don’t want to live in the dorms.”

“Okay,” Kakashi agreed with the sensibility of that statement.  “Any other reasons?”

“As I told the dobe before, it’s a school; we go there to become educated.  To an extent, it doesn’t matter which one we attend.”

“That’s a fair point, Sasuke,” Kakashi agreed.

“Also..we kinda...know Konoha?  Like, we know the area,” Naruto supplied, unsure of himself.

“That you do.”

“We also checked out other schools,” Sasuke added.  “Like Misuto and Oto, but we liked Konoha more.”

“That’ a good reason.”

“We’re also getting a joint scholarship to play soccer for Konoha,” Naruto spoke.

“It’s really a win-win situation; a no-brainer,” Sasuke agreed.

“It would seem that way.  Now, do you _want_ to play soccer, or are you just doing it for the free money?”

“I wanna play,” Naruto answered excitedly.  “I love soccer!”

“I agree, to an extent,” Sasuke responded.  “I’ve never played soccer _with_ Naruto, only against him.  I’d like to at least give it a shot.”

“Look at how much your teamwork has improved,” Kakashi gushed.  “Your mothers would be proud.  So are you sticking by your majors of Anthropology and Accounting?”

“Actually,” Sasuke admitted, “after studying international relations for this past year, we decided that we would both major in International Relations.  We both intend to take up minors with mine being Accounting and Naruto’s being Anthropology.  If these few years have taught us anything, though, it’s that working with each other is our best bet at reaching our full potential.  Not to mention how many opportunities international studies could open up for us.”

“That’s a very good point Sasuke; several, actually,” Kakashi pointed out.  “So, you both plan to attend Konoha on a full-ride soccer scholarship while majoring in International Relations and focusing on your respective minors.  Anything else?”

“Nope,” Naruto said happily.

“Alright then, that settles it.  Congratulations on passing your final.”

“Huh?”  Naruto was obviously thrown for a loop.

“So that was our final, Kakashi?” Sasuke questioned the older man.

“Indeed it was.  Consider this your graduation.  You can walk with the other students of your respective schools, if you like- or not if you decide against it.  Other than that, high school is officially over for the two of you.  Good luck on spending the rest of your lives together.”

The boys looked at each other, stunned.  They would definitely be spending the rest of their lives together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All that's left is the Epilogue, and it is very short, but it does involve cute Naruto and Sasuke the teammates.


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys play in soccer game for Konoha University together while their mothers discuss the future.

Mikoto and Kushina cheered loudly for their sons at Konoha’s first home game of their freshman season.

“I’m so glad that they decided to take up this opportunity,” Kushina gushed excitedly.

“Me too,” Mikoto agreed.  “To think, they used to pretend to hate each other.”

“They even decided to major together, how cute is that?”

“Not as cute as them teaming up on the field, just look at them.  Who knew our boys could work so well together?”

Next to them, Kakashi cleared his throat.

“Oh, hey Kakashi,” Kushina greeted.  “Come to see your star pupils in action?”

“Something like that,” he replied cryptically.  “How are they doing?”

“From what Sasuke tells me, they’re fine,” Mikoto rolled her eyes.  “Itachi though, has a way of gathering information on others.  He tells me that their grades are good, their personal life is great, and as for soccer,” she motioned to the field, “well, you can see that for yourself.”

“They really do make a great team,” he admitted.  “Then again, they always did.”

“I don’t know about that,” Jiraiya insisted.  “Naruto was always so upset when it came to Sasuke.  You should have seen their fight!”

“Jiraiya, please,” Orochimaru rolled his eyes, “the strongest rivalries can supply the best teamwork.  I thought even you knew that.”

Mikoto ignored the coaches as they began to bicker and focused her attention back to Kakashi.  “How are the new ‘buddies’ doing?”  The students chosen for the buddy-system were now being referred to as “buddies” within KISD.  Kakashi already had his hands full with 2 new “buddies”.  Mikoto knew that she would eventually be forced to recruit more instructors for the program, but for now, only Kakashi was required.

Kakashi shrugged at her question.  “They are rivals.  The first year just began, so we’ll have to give it some time.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Kushina interjected.  “Aren’t this term’s buddies Sarutobi Konohamaru and Hyūga Hanabi?”

“That’s correct,” Kakashi sighed.  “With two elite families that aren’t best friends like you two, it might be a struggle.”

Mikoto patted him on the back.  “Kakashi, you’re a miracle worker; I’m sure everything will be fine.”

The three of them returned their attention to the game only in time to watch Sasuke pass the ball to Naruto before he scored the winning goal.  The crowd erupted in cheers as Kushina started screaming and jumping up and down next to her best friend.

Mikoto laughed.  “Some things never change.”

When Kushina finally settled down, she joined Mikoto in watching the boys as they celebrated their victory.  On the field, the boys finally reached each other as they pulled themselves into a victory kiss.

Mikoto smiled warmly at the happy young men that she and her friend had brought into the world.  

“Do you think now’s a good time to start asking about grandchildren?” Kushina joked.

“Oh, Kushina,” Mikoto shook her head in disbelief.  “Let’s at least let them have this night before we start planning for a bigger family.”

The women both watched as their sons happily paraded around the field, hand-in-hand.  They would have a family together eventually, but for now, being two young men happily in love with each other was enough for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all there is guys, I hope you liked it!


End file.
